Image: Albert Gleaves in 1917 By Bain – Library of Congress, Public Domain, (Wikipedia)
Albert Gleaves (January 1, 1858 – January 6, 1937) was a decorated admiral in the United States Navy, also notable as a naval historian.
Biography
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Gleaves graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1877. After serving on board Hartford and Trenton, he was appointed an Ensign in 1881. Assigned to many ships and stations, he commanded Cushing during the Spanish–American War and later the battleship North Dakota. Promoted to rear admiral in 1915, in World War I, he commanded the Cruiser and Transport Force. For his outstanding contribution, he was awarded the Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals.
In 1919, he was promoted to Admiral and commanded the Asiatic Fleet. While serving at the Naval Ordnance Proving Ground, Admiral Gleaves made outstanding contributions in the field of gunnery and torpedoes. While conducting tests on torpedo steering devices, he transformed these weapons from instruments of luck into instruments of precision. The gear that he tested in Cushing provided the imprints that made the torpedo the “terrible weapon” of World War I.
Despite a life of constant action in war and peace, he found time to write a biography of Captain James Lawrence, A History of the Transport Service, and The Life of an American Sailor: Rear Admiral William Hemsley Emory, United States Navy, from His Letters and Memoirs. After a most distinguished career, he retired on January 1, 1922.
He was a companion of the Naval Order of the United States and was assigned insignia number 756.
Admiral Gleaves died at Haverford, Pennsylvania, on January 6, 1937, a few days after his 79th birthday.
He has been quoted as saying, “To seamen a ship becomes endowed with human virtues and faults; she ceases to be a mere inanimate thing.”
There was a statue of Admiral Gleaves at the State Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee. The statue was moved to the Tennessee State Museum to be included in a military exhibit.
Decorations
| 1st Row | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Army Distinguished Service Medal | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | Spanish Campaign Medal | Philippine Campaign Medal | World War I Victory Medal with Fleet Clasp | |||||||||
| 3rd Row | Commander of the French Legion of Honour | Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure, 1st Class | Chinese Order of Wen-Hu, 1st Class | |||||||||
Namesake
USS Gleaves (DD-423), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the lead ship of her class and named for Admiral Gleaves.
Gallery
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Gleaves is fourth from the left in the middle row in this photograph of 13 retired U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps flag officers taken ca. 1923. By Naval History and Heritage, Public Domain, (Wikipedia) -
Gleaves is standing fourth from right in this photo of retired flag officers taken at the 85th birthday party of Rear Admiral George C. Remey on 10 August 1926. By unattributed U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command, Public Domain, (Wikipedia) 
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Lieutenant Commander Gleaves and Other Officers of the USS Mayflower (PY-1) in 1903 By E. Muller, Staff Photographer for Army and Navy Ullustrated(Lifetime: Unknown) – Original publication: Army and Navy Illustrated, Public Domain, (Wikipedia)
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Albert Gleaves
|
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|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1858 Nashville, Tennessee, US |
| Died | January 6, 1937 (aged 79) Haverford, Pennsylvania, US |
| Place of burial |
Arlington National Cemetery
|
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1877–1921 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands | Cushing Dolphin Mayflower St. Louis North Dakota Commandant Naval Station, Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island Utah Commander, Cruiser and Transport Force |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War World War I |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal |
| Other work | Author |
References
- “Admiral Albert Gleaves, USN, Deceased” (PDF). Modern Officer Biographies Collection. Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard. 14 December 1967.
- “Nathan Bedford Forrest bust will now come down after receiving final vote of approval”. The Tennessean.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
His memoirs, titled The Admiral: The Memoirs of Albert Gleaves, Admiral, USN, were published in 1985 by Hope Publishing House, Pasadena, California (HOPE ISBN 0-932727-02-6).
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