Chief of Operations
He was second in command ofj
he Pacific Tleet, When called to
Washington to become chief or cp
■rations on October 24, 1919. On
■esigning as chief on July 21. 1923
le became commander-in-chief of
he United States fleet, serving un
il October 3. 1925. In 1925 under
’is command thfe fleet made a fl''e
ind one-half months’ cruise to
Australia and New Zealand.
Admiral Coontz’ remiltiin* yetis
>efore his retirement, on June 11.
928, were spent in command of
he Norfolk, Va„ naval district. The
Jniversity of Missouri,* his hoitte
late, gave him an honorary L.L.D.
legree ill 1926.
In Alaskan Waters
Twenty-five of the admiral's, 47
•ears in the service were spent on
>oard ship.
Born in Hannibal. Mo.. June 'll
861, he entered Annapolis in 1831
Is a young officer he' spent sir
•ears in the Alaskan sfervlce, bc
-oming proficient as a pilot i:
hose waters.
In Sitka, on Oct. 31, 1890, he
narried Augusta Cohen cf that
dace. They had a daughter, . Ber
ha, and two sons, Bentofl. frho
lied at the age of four, and Ken
leth, who died at 29 when a lieu
enant in the 'navy.
Capture cf Cham
As a lieutenant in 1898. Admiral
Joontz was aboard the Charleston
it the "comic opera" capture cf
3uam. The Spanish governor ttf
he remote island, not knbV/lhg
var had been declared, apologized
or "not returning the salute" when
he warshfp opened fire on figs fbrt.
Jcor.tz served in the Phili’ppiitcs
>n the Charleston and the Boston.
On the voyage cf the fleet
iround the world in 1903, Coontz,
hen a lieutenant commander,, was.
