Bertram Joseph Rodgers was born on March 18, 1894 in Knoxville, Pennsylvania as the son of a Glass Decorator Linus James Rodgers and his wife Clara E. Werling.
He had seven siblings and completed the St. George's Catholic School and graduated from the South Pittsburgh High School in June 1912.
Rodgers subsequently received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland from 32rd District and entered the Academy as Midshipman in June that year.

While at the Academy, he was active in varsity baseball team for all four years and won the Naval Academy "N" in each of the four years.
Among other duties, Rodgers served as Midshipman-Ensign and Ordnance officer of the Second Cadet Battalion under his classmate and future admiral, Ralph E. Davison and also was active in Hop Committee.

Among his classmates were several future distinguished general officers including: Frank E. Beatty Jr., Russell S. Berkey, Ralph E. Davison, Calvin T. Durgin, C. Turner Joy, Gerald F. Bogan, John E. Wilkes, Homer L. Grosskopf, Osborne B. Hardison, George F. Hussey Jr., Robert Carney, Oscar R. Cauldwell, William Fechteler, Don P. Moon, Denis L. Ryan, Samuel P. Ginder, Charles P. Cecil, Willard A. Kitts, Andrew C. McFall, Henry M. Mullinnix, Thorvald A. Solberg, Maurice G. Holmes, Gilbert C. Hoover, Arnold W. Jacobsen or Arthur W. Radford.

Rodgers graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in June 1916 and was commissioned Ensign at the time.
He was subsequently attached to the battleship USS South Carolina participated in the patrol cruises and convoy escort duties in the Atlantic Ocean during World War I and made stops in Cuba, the Panama Canal, and New Orleans.
While aboard South Carolina, Rodgers was promoted consecutively to the temporary ranks of Lieutenant (junior grade) and Lieutenant.
He also befriended with future Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, who served then as Ship's Executive officer.

He was detached in June 1919 and ordered to the Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut for submarine training, which he aboard the stations ship, USS Fulton one month later and spent next three months aboard the training submarine USS H-4 along the West Coast of the United States.
Rodgers subsequently commanded the submarines USS H-8 and USS R-8 during the patrols off the coast of San Pedro and Santa Catalina Island until June 1923, when he was sent to the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California for duty in connection with fitting out of submarine USS S-41.
He was promoted to the permanent rank of Lieutenant on July 1, 1920.

Rodgers was detached before that submarine was commissioned and ordered to Coco Solo submarine base in the Panama Canal Zone in October 1923.
He served as Engineer and Repair officer until September 1925, when he returned to the United States for duty at Portsmouth Navy Yard in connection with fitting out of submarine USS Bonita.
Upon the commissioning of that vessel, Rodgers was appointed an Executive officer under lieutenant commander Charles A. Lockwood and participated in the patrolling the Atlantic shores and Caribbean until May 1927.
Rodgers was promoted to Lieutenant commander on October 2, 1926.

He was subsequently ordered to the Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey for lighter-than-air instruction, which he completed on June 26, 1928 and was designated Naval aviator.
Rodgers then served successively aboard the airships Los Angeles, Akron & Macon until June 1934, when he was appointed Commanding officer of destroyer, USS Blakeley, succeeding lieutenant commander Glenn B. Davis in that capacity.

After serving with Blakely with the Scouting Fleet, Rodgers returned to Panama Canal Zone and assumed duty as Port Captain, Balboa Naval Facility in October 1935.
While in this capacity, he was promoted to Commander on July 1, 1936 and returned to sea in June 1938 as commander of destroyer, USS Selfridge.

Rodgers commanded his destroyer during the Fleet Problem XXI in April 1940, which focused on the defense of the Hawaiian area.
He was succeeded by Leland P. Lovette on May 17, 1940 and ordered to th
Bertram Joseph Rodgers was born on March 18, 1894 in Knoxville, Pennsylvania as the son of a Glass Decorator Linus James Rodgers and his wife Clara E. Werling. He had seven siblings and completed the St. George's Catholic School and graduated from the South Pittsburgh High School in June 1912. Rodgers subsequently received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland from 32rd District and entered the Academy as Midshipman in June that year.
While at the Academy, he was active in varsity baseball team for all four years and won the Naval Academy "N" in each of the four years. Among other duties, Rodgers served as Midshipman-Ensign and Ordnance officer of the Second Cadet Battalion under his classmate and future admiral, Ralph E. Davison and also was active in Hop Committee.
Among his classmates were several future distinguished general officers including: Frank E. Beatty Jr., Russell S. Berkey, Ralph E. Davison, Calvin T. Durgin, C. Turner Joy, Gerald F. Bogan, John E. Wilkes, Homer L. Grosskopf, Osborne B. Hardison, George F. Hussey Jr., Robert Carney, Oscar R. Cauldwell, William Fechteler, Don P. Moon, Denis L. Ryan, Samuel P. Ginder, Charles P. Cecil, Willard A. Kitts, Andrew C. McFall, Henry M. Mullinnix, Thorvald A. Solberg, Maurice G. Holmes, Gilbert C. Hoover, Arnold W. Jacobsen or Arthur W. Radford.
Rodgers graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in June 1916 and was commissioned Ensign at the time. He was subsequently attached to the battleship USS South Carolina participated in the patrol cruises and convoy escort duties in the Atlantic Ocean during World War I and made stops in Cuba, the Panama Canal, and New Orleans. While aboard South Carolina, Rodgers was promoted consecutively to the temporary ranks of Lieutenant (junior grade) and Lieutenant. He also befriended with future Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, who served then as Ship's Executive officer.
He was detached in June 1919 and ordered to the Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut for submarine training, which he aboard the stations ship, USS Fulton one month later and spent next three months aboard the training submarine USS H-4 along the West Coast of the United States. Rodgers subsequently commanded the submarines USS H-8 and USS R-8 during the patrols off the coast of San Pedro and Santa Catalina Island until June 1923, when he was sent to the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California for duty in connection with fitting out of submarine USS S-41. He was promoted to the permanent rank of Lieutenant on July 1, 1920.
Rodgers was detached before that submarine was commissioned and ordered to Coco Solo submarine base in the Panama Canal Zone in October 1923. He served as Engineer and Repair officer until September 1925, when he returned to the United States for duty at Portsmouth Navy Yard in connection with fitting out of submarine USS Bonita. Upon the commissioning of that vessel, Rodgers was appointed an Executive officer under lieutenant commander Charles A. Lockwood and participated in the patrolling the Atlantic shores and Caribbean until May 1927. Rodgers was promoted to Lieutenant commander on October 2, 1926.
He was subsequently ordered to the Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey for lighter-than-air instruction, which he completed on June 26, 1928 and was designated Naval aviator. Rodgers then served successively aboard the airships Los Angeles, Akron & Macon until June 1934, when he was appointed Commanding officer of destroyer, USS Blakeley, succeeding lieutenant commander Glenn B. Davis in that capacity.
After serving with Blakely with the Scouting Fleet, Rodgers returned to Panama Canal Zone and assumed duty as Port Captain, Balboa Naval Facility in October 1935. While in this capacity, he was promoted to Commander on July 1, 1936 and returned to sea in June 1938 as commander of destroyer, USS Selfridge.
Rodgers commanded his destroyer during the Fleet Problem XXI in April 1940, which focused on the defense of the Hawaiian area. He was succeeded by Leland P. Lovette on May 17, 1940 and ordered to th
Bertram J. Rodgers