Who’s on First . .
. some of the First’s of the U. S. Coast Guard.
©William R. Wells, II, 2004.
Every
organization has a list of firsts. These events or personal milestones are usually
meant to convey some meaning or higher ideal to the organization at large. However,
these firsts are more of a common, more human, variety. Some are tragic; other
humorous and may have little meaning and certainly may be not the things to which
many would subscribe.
Notwithstanding
the oddity of some of the citations, they are recorded facts. These are items
recorded by the trusty, and honest, 19th century clerks of the Treasury
Department in the Rosters of Officers of the U. S. Revenue Cutter Service.
The rosters did not begin with the service and the first eight volumes containing
some 500 pages each of handwritten notations – not always in an organized manner.
The first roster, from where the most firsts are derived, was created in the 1880s from a multitude of old
records, letters, correspondence, ledgers and rosters from 1790 to 1870. There
are gaps and missing officers. The Treasury Department suffered from several
fires that destroyed many of the documents. The rosters were
started because the Treasury Department realized it had little or no
knowledge of the past officers who served and no manner in which to easily find
information on its current officers. These rosters are outlines of service
and each officer, later, had a separate record folder.
These
“firsts” are personal notes gleaned from the rosters and, admittedly, I may
have missed a few. However, to ease their reading I have divided the “firsts”
into categories although a loose confederation. It must be noted that the entries are largely negative. Officers
of this era were expected to conduct themselves honorably, as gentleman, and
without promise of superficial rewards. The negative records, just as they
are today, instruments of evidence for those who were trouble or problems to
the service. These records also provided information of the amount of leave
taken, sick and personal, and any other personal information such as place of
appointment, place of birth and date of birth.
For
those wishing a "first" list of enlisted personnel -- this may not be possible.
The Revenue Cutter Service did not keep records of its people beyond the monthly
payrolls.
Anyone uncovering other firsts or wishing to extend comments contact me at Bill
Wells
This is not
an official U. S. Coast Guard web site.
First Officer To . . .
Die on active service.
Ports or stations:
On Alaska cruise
Captain George W. Bailey, Oct. 16, 1879.
Alexandria,
Va.
3rd Lt. Samuel
Wilcox, May 27, 1853.
Baltimore, Maryland;
3rd Lt., Richard Powell, March 6, 1836. [In transit
to New Orleans].
First Engineer: Acting 1st Asst. Engineer,
Patrick Kane, Nov. 30, 1870.
Boston, Mass.;
Captain Josiah Sturgis, June
29, 1850, on Schooner Hamilton.
First Engineer: 1 Asst. Engineer,
J. M. King, Dec. 17, 1866.
Bronx, New York.
Captain Richard A. Morsell, Dec. 24, 1864. Fell over
the side and froze to death.
Charleston, SC;
1st Lt., William A. Norris, June 11, 1846, on Schooner
Van Buren.
Eastport, Maine;
Captain Joseph A. Noyes, March 10, 1860, Schooner Jackson.
Fernandina, Florida.
Capatin Hugh R. Graham, August 28,
1868, on board Racer.
Galveston, Texas.
1st Lt., Edward
S. Dickerson, Sept. 16, 1867, of yellow fever.
First Engineer: Chief Engineer,
George W. Jones, Sept. 27, 1867, of yellow fever.
On the Great Lakes
station;
Captain Michael Conner, January 9, 1850, Schooner Erie.
Humbolt Bay,
California.
1st Lt., Benjamin J. Kellam, October 22, 1861, drown
engaged in a "private enterprise."
Key
West, Florida;
Captain Thomas M. Randolph, August 20, 1835.
(Also: 3rd Lt., George Riley,
Sept. 15, 1867 , 3rd Lt., Henry R. Towle, Nov. 14, 1868, and Chief
Engineer Alexander Auchinleck, July 8, 1875 of yellow
fever).
Mobile, Ala.
3rd Lt., William
G. McGregor, August 16, 1858, of yellow fever.
New Haven, Conn;
3rd Lt., James Thompson, August 12, 1838, on Schooner Wolcott.
[Found dead in bed.]
New Orleans, Louisiana;
2nd Lt., William M. A. Moore, September 8, 1835, Schooner Ingham.
[Probably from Yellow Fever. First officer to die aboard
a cutter].
First Engineer: 2nd Asst. Engineer, A. D.
Renshaw, Sept. 3, 1867, of yellow fever.
Newport, RI;
3rd Lt., John
L. Barker, March 27, 1837,
on Schooner Vigilant.
New York City, NY;
Captain Nicholas Bicker, July 15, 1843, on Schooner Ewing.
Norfolk, Va.
1st Lt. Winfield Scott Bell, June 8, 1859.
Philadelphia,
Penn.
Captain Charles W. Bennett, June
10, 1855, on Waiting Orders (Sick leave).
Portland, Maine;
Captain George Clarke, June 26, 1863, Schooner Cushing.
(1st Lt.
James Hill was the second, Jan. 22, 1868)
Racine, Wisconsin;
Captain Gilbert Knapp, July 31, 1887, on Waiting Orders.
San
Francisco, California;
2nd Lt., William
R. Pierce, February 20, 1851.
Savannah, Georgia. (near) – while on active duty.
2nd Lt., Daniel
G. F. Gardner, Sept. 7, 1856.
Staten
Island, New York.
1st Lt., Arthur
D. Stanford, August 12, 1859.
South
West Pass, Louisiana.
2nd Lt., Charles
H. Wheeler, Oct. 19, 1854. (Drown)
Vineyard Haven, Mass.
Cadet Maurice M. Holmes, Dec. 7, 1878.
Wilmington, Delaware.
2nd Lt., John McG. Nones, Sept. 2, 1859, on board Forward.
Bay of Manila.
Chief Engineer,
Frank B. Randall, May 1, 1898.
Deaths from Accidents/Shipwrecks:
In a recreational boating accident;
1st Lt. Gabriel
A. O'Brien, September 4, 1835,
at Key West.
Captain to die in a shipwrecked revenue cutter;
Captain Thomas C. Rudolph, December 9, 1853. Schooner Hamilton.
Also lost: 1st
Lt., Camillus Saunders and 3rd Lt. E. C. Hine.
Officer to die in commercial shipwreck in California
(near Crescent
City);
Captain J. S. S. Chaddock, July
30, 1865, on Brother Jonathan, on leave at time.
Boating accident in Alaska.
3rd Lt., Leonidas L. Robinson, June 6,
1891, at Icy Bay, Alaska. (Four men in boat crew also drown).
Deaths on Holidays.
First to die on Christmas
Eve.
2nd Lt., Henry
C. Hunter, Dec. 24, 1855, at San Francisco,
Ca.
First
to die on New Year’s Day.
2nd Lt., Fitzherbert M. Strik, Jan. 1, 1860 at
New York.
Deaths from
Suicide/
First possible suicide;
2nd Lt. William S. Washington, August 20, 1834. [He as been dismissed for drunkenness the day before]. Had
been stationed at Mobile.
First officially recorded suicide:
1st Lt. John Carson, July 6, 1861, at New York City, commanding cutter Crawford,
from a "fit of insanity."
First recorded suicide at San Francisco, Cal.
Captain Thomas B. Mullett, Sept. 18, 1887.
War/
To be killed in action.
Captain Thomas M. Dungan, August 13, 1864. While
in command of the Reliance, five miles up the great Wicomico River
To die of a heart attack during a battle.
Chief Engineer, Frank B. Randall, May 1, 1898. Manila Bay.
Alcohol/
To die of excessive use of “intoxicants.”
3rd Lt., John
F. Smith, July 17, 1860 at Mobile,
Ala.
Diseases/
Of Asthma;
2nd Lt. David
M. Stokes, December, 26, 1838, on Schooner Dexter at Charleston.
First officially recorded death from Yellow
Fever;
1st Lt. Blyden Hedge, September
12, 1843, at Key West. [Note: 3rd
Lt. Solomon Harby (not listed in rosters), died at Charleston
in 1830 from probably yellow fever following a deployment to Key West.]
3rd Lt., George Riley, Sept. 15, 1867.
(Also see Mobile,
Ala., entry.)
Of "paralysis on the brain."
Captain Stephen Cornell, October
31, 1869, Schooner Chase.
Of Bright's Disease.
Captain Douglas Ottinger, Jan. 13,
1899 at Mount Holly, NJ.
Of "Brain Disease."
Captain James D. Usher, July 30,
1871, at New Berne, North
Carolina.
Of Apoplexy:
1st Lt. Henry
W. Harwood, Oct. 22, 1879.
Of Tuberculoses.
1st Asst. Engineer,
Edward Aspald, June 22, 1876.
Of Consumption (TB) at Albuquerque, NM.
3rd Lt., William
W. Culver, June 27, 1889.
Of Croup.
Captain John J. Nimmo, Feb. 10, 1851 (reported to
Duane same day).
Of cyanche maligna (throat cancer).
Captain Joseph Amazon, April 20, 1880.
Of pneumonia.
Captain John A. Webster, Jr., April 6, 1875.
Murdered/
First to be murdered on active duty.
1st Lt. William A. Whittier, Aug. 20, 1911 at Boston.
Other deaths:
Shortest career caused by death:
3rd Lt. Benjamin
F. Van Hook, Commissioned March 20, 1846, died Sept. 11, 1846.
First president of an officer's
examining board to die;
Captain Henry D. Hunter, November 12, 1861.
First commandant to die on active duty;
Captain Leonard G. Shepard, March 14, 1895.
of pneumonia at Washington, DC.
Promotion/Advancements:
Captains/
First promoted to captain on Christmas Eve.
Captain Douglas Ottinger, Dec. 24, 1846
First captain to be demoted and then advanced to captain
again.
Captain George Clarke was reduced to 1st
Lt. on April 14, 1853 and re-commissioned captain May 15, 1854.
Captain John McGowan, April 14, 1853.
(James J. Morrison, captain Dec. 3, 1852; 1st
Lt., April 24, 1853; captain July 27, 1855.)
No disciplinary difficulties. Service reducing
number of officers.
First commissioned captain three times.
Captain Levy C. Harby, Sept. 1, 1846; Dec. 3, 1852;
June 12, 1857.
First commissioned as Captain of Engineers.
John W. Collins, July 26, 1899.
First to be promoted to captain in the 20th
Century.
Captain Owen S. Willey, January 18, 1900.
First to be promoted to Captain although failed promotion
examination.
Captain Albert Buhner, Feb. 6, 1901.
First to be promoted to Captain on Permanent Waiting
Orders List.
Thomas Mason, March 20, 1905.
1st Lieutenants/
First to refuse a promotion to 1st Lt.,
to remain on a station.
3rd Lt., Stephen Thatcher, June 17, 1837. (To remain
on Wolcott at New Haven – transferred to Jackson at New York on
May 19, 1841).
First officer commissioned in RCS from civilian post.
1st Lt. James W. Lee, July 12, 1898.
(from naval constructor at Baltimore).
First surgeon [medical doctor] to receive a regular
commission in the RCS.
S. J. Call, 1st
Lt., March 20, 1905.
First officer to be an Acting 1st Lieutenant.
Dudley Davenport July 13, 1863. (Acting 1st
Lt. because he failed examination for 1st Lieutenant.)
First medical officer to go before a retiring board.
S. J. Call, July 21, 1907.
First to have name places at head of promotion list
by order of Asst. Treasury Secretary (Fairchild).
Leander M. Keene, July 28, 1886.
2nd Lieutenant/
First to be advanced on list for promotion.
2nd Lt., John W. Rhodes, Feb. 11, 1884.
First officer to decline being examined for promotion.
2nd Lt., William B. McLean, April 28, 1844.
3rd Lieutenant/
First commissioned 3rd Lt., four times.
John A. Underwood, July 19, 1838; March 2, 1849; Dec.
14, 1852; May 20, 1852.
Engineers/
To be designated as Consulting Engineer. (7)
Chief Engineer John W. Collins, Dec. 31, 1891 (appointed
Engineer-in-Chief, August 7, 1894).
First to be designated Fleet Engineer.
Chief Engineer James A. Doyle, April 28, 1897.
Warrant Officers/
First to receive appointments as warrant officers.
Beverly Diggs, Thomas
Sands and William Maurice, all promoted March 5, 1830.
(Warrant officers were officially
authorized in December 1829).
First warrant officer to be commissioned.
George Hayes, to 2nd
Lt., Dec. 31, 1832.
(Thomas Sands, to 2nd
Lt., Jan. 3, 1833
George Merryman and Arnold Burroughs, Dec. 18, 1833)
First former warrant officer to be commissioned 1st Lt. twice.
Arnold Burroughs, March
4, 1843; June 7, 1851.
First Pilot to receive commission.
John L. Prouty, 3rd
Lt., Nov. 26, 1838. (the status of pilots was ambiguous.
Some considered them on par with warrant officers others were hired
civilians.)
Other Promotions/
First 20th century officer to rise from ranks.
D. F. A. de Otte. (Served as ordinary
seaman – Aug. 17, 1886 – Dec. 31, 1888).
Censures/
First censured for not being prepared to fight fire
aboard a cutter.
Captain Thomas Sands, March 30, 1868.
(Burning of Nemaho – lost)
First to be censured for improper conduct as an Executive
Officer.
2nd Lt., John F. Wild, Nov. 5, 1885.
First engineer to be censured for discourteous conduct
toward a line officer.
1st Asst. Engineer James T. Tupper, July 7, 1877.
First to be censured for making “insulting epithets”
to a Consulting Engineer.
Captain Frank Barr, Nov. 7, 1892.
To receive official censure for a bad fitness report.
3rd Lt., William G. Blasdell, Sept. 2, 1899.
To be censured for not having a “social full dress uniform and boat cloak.”
Chief Engineer, Willitis
Pederick, May 26, 1905.
Resignations/
First to threaten to resign if not assigned to a “northern
station.”
3rd Lt. Theodore Fernald, August 9, 1833 (received
the transfer and then resigned May 15, 1834).
First to submit resignation and withdraw it the next
day.
2nd Lt., Alexander V. Frazer, Dec. 13, 1834.
First officer to tender a “conditional” resignation.
Douglas Ottinger, June 15, 1851.
First to resign for failing promotion examination (requested to).
John A. Underwood, July 24, 1861. (reinstated
March 3, 1862; failed examination again July 1863, resigned again.)
First to be asked resign for forging travel expenses.
Chief Engineer, Charles G. Dale, Aug. 22, 1874.
First to resign because he was denied a leave of absence.
2nd Asst. Engineer, Charles W. Townsend.
April 9, 1878.
First to resign because of color blindness.
Cadet Charles D. Drew, July 10, 1880.
First of post Civil War era to resign to take an appointment
in the U. S. Army.
3rd Lt., John A. Lockwood, Sept. 1880.
First to engineer officer to submit his resignation
via telegraph.
2nd Asst. Engineer, Charles F. Angell,
Oct. 23, 1883. (resignation accepted by telegram
Nov. 2, 1883).
First to resign rather than return to duty at Key
West, Florida.
2nd Asst. Engineer Frank W. Waterman, June 25, 1888.
First to line officer to submit his resignation via
telegraph.
2nd Lt., Augustus Y. Lowe, Feb. 23, 1893
Revocations:
First Commission revoked by the President for disobedience of orders.
Captain William Gatewood, July 15, 1837.
First 3rd Lt., commission revoked for intemperance,
incompetence and disobedience of orders.
William W. Smith, Oct. 11, 1841.
First to have commission revoked for charging private supply
bills to government.
2nd Lt., Edward Smoot, Nov. 7, 1843.
First commission revoked for not reporting from “time to time” on the vessel
he was assigned.
1st Lt., George Hayes, Oct. 24, 1853 (Marcy
at New York).
First to receive three months restriction to a cutter.
2nd Lt., John L. Davis, Dec. 26, 1891.
(for AWOL and disobedience to orders).
Dismissals/
First dismissed for insubordinate conduct.
1st Lt. Josiah Murch, July 4, 1833.
First 3rd Lt., dismissed for “habitual drunkenness.”
3rd Lt., Robert W. C. Robinett, March 4, 1834.
(Wolcott, New Haven).
First dismissed twice for intemperance.
3rd Lt. J. W. Hunter (resigned under charges of
intoxication Feb. 18, 1834)
Dismissed Nov. 26, 1838, Recommissioned Jan. 31, 1840;
dismissed June 17, 1840 (also for disobedience).
First 3rd Lt., dismissed for “irregularity”
and neglect to resume his duties.
3rd Lt., Francis B. Wright, June 29, 1835 (Recommissioned
March 11, 1836).
First (and only) RCS officer dismissed for jumping ship to join revolution in
Texas.
1st Lt., Levy C. Harby, December 1835.
(reinstated July 1836)
First to be dismissed for withholding seaman’s wages.
Josiah Murch, July 23, 1839.
First dismissed for disobedience and intemperance.
3rd Lt., John R. H. Carmen, May 30, 1840.
First dismissed for “presenting fraudulent bills.”
1st Lt., Charles Grover, Oct. 31, 1843.
First dismissed for failing to accompany his vessel
to war (Mexican).
2nd Lt., James H. Roach, June 6, 1846 (he resigned
on May 31 rather than go to war).
First dismissed for “unofficer like conduct.”
2nd Lt., William B. McLean, June 5, 1848.
First dismissed for opening mail not belonging to him.
1st Lt., Herman H. Green, August 18, 1848.
First dismissed for “want of energy” (poor performance/leadership).
Captain Gay Moore, Dec. 8, 1853.
First engineer dismissed from service for desertion.
2nd Asst. Engineer, Warwick J. Sedgwick, Jan. 7, 1899.
Reprimands/
First to be reprimanded and suspended for three months
without pay.
Captain James J. Morrison, April 21, 1860.
First to be reprimanded for making trivial charges
against his commanding officer.
2nd Asst. Engineer, John G. Balls.
Feb. 20, 1879.
First to receive letter of reprimand (Dec.
24, 1894) and attend the Naval War
College (May 1895) in the within a year.
2nd Lt., Ellsworth
Price Bertholf.
Suspensions/
First suspended for being absent without leave (two
weeks).
3rd Lt., Osmond Peters, June 15, 1835.
First captain suspended and placed on waiting orders and half pay for six months
for a collision.
Captain Owen S. Willey, August 11, 1904. Woodbury.
Other/
First captain to be charged with an infraction by another
captain.
Captain Joseph Gold by Captain H. D. Hunter, Dec.
22, 1835.
First recorded officer jailed for debt.
Captain William Gatewood, April 30, 1837.
First to go on trial in a Coast Guard court.
2nd Lt. F. H. Young, May 8, 1915.
News correspondents/
First to be officially authorized to act as a newspaper
correspondent.
2nd Asst. Engineer Charles F. Nash, March 1894.
First to act as correspondent for San Francisco Examiner.
Bernard H. Camden, Nov. 9, 1897.
First to act as correspondent for San Francisco Chronicle.
Harry G. Hamlet, Nov. 23 1897.
Commendations/Medals:
First recognized by a foreign consul for assisting a
vessel of that nation (British).
Henry Prince, Jan. 26, 1841.
First to receive a medal from France
for the rescue of a French vessel.
1st Lt., Dorr F. Tozier, Feb. 1877.
First to receive a medal from Spain
for the rescue of a Spanish war vessel.
Captain Joseph Irish, Sept. 1878.
First to be commended for a rescue on the Alabama
River.
2nd Lt., Percy H. Brereton, Nov. 23, 1893.
Desertion/
First to desert the RCS in the post Civil War era.
3rd Lt., Thomas A. Flood, Dec. 29, 1876.
Other Medical Firsts/
First to be detached from a cutter because of an injured
limb.
1st Lt., Ezekiel Jones, Sept. 21, 1830.
First paralyzed on active duty.
2nd Lt., Stephen
Thatcher, June 1842, (Jackson)
First to give the reason of “defective sight” for not obeying a transfer order.
Captain Green Walden, Sept. 19, 1843.
First to be on sick leave for over three years because
of laryngitis.
1st Lt., Thomas Mason, Oct. 1, 1879 – April 1883.
First to be placed on Permanent Waiting orders for
Blindness.
2nd Lt., Thomas W. Benham, Nov. 26, 1890.
First officer to have name placed at foot of promotion
list because of illness.
1st Lt., Robert Barstow,
April 30, 1892.
General:
First to a mobile training instructor.
3rd Lt., Joseph R. Crozet. (Taught signaling to
officer of cutter fleet.) 1874.
First assigned to gun test duty at West
Point, NY.
Captain William C. Pease, Oct. 12, 1853.
(guns for Jefferson Davis)
First to represent United States at an international
exhibit of life saving.
2nd Lt., Charles H. McLellan, at London, March 27, 1883.
First to take oath of office as 3rd Lt.,
at Gibraltar.
3rd Lt., Worth G. Ross, July 25, 1879.
First to be assigned to a cutter not in commission.
2nd Lt., John Brann, Sept.
27, 1871, Gallatin at Buffalo,
NY (winter quarters).
First to be dismissed in post Civil War era for refusing
to be examined for promotion.
2nd Lt., Eli D. Edmund, April 24, 1876.
First to be reduced in seniority (number on list) for
neglect of duty.
Captain Charles A. Abbey, July 3, 1874.
First to request to be kept stationed south of the
Chesapeake.
2nd Lt., Frederick J. Simmonds, March 31,
1871. (he was from Alabama).
First to be appointed Acting Collector of Customs.
2nd Lt., George E. McConnell, Sept. – Dec., 1877,
at Fernandina, Florida.
Only officer going to Confederacy reappointed in RCS.
Captain William B. Randolph, Feb. 1, 1880.
First to be assigned office work because of physically
being unfit for service.
2nd Lt, Benjamin W. Loring, Dec. 22, 1880.
First to be granted permission to travel via Isthmus
of Panama under orders.
1st Lt., Leander M. Keene, Nov. 10, 1882.
First to serve as President of Cadet examining board.
Captain George R. Slicer, May 1, 1882.
First to request leave of absence to move wife to another
city.
3rd Lt., Arnold Burroughs, June 14, 1835 (former
warrant officer).
First to request a transfer because of an ill wife.
2nd Lt., William B. McLean, July 7, 1838 (Key West
to New York).
First to command on Atlantic and Gulf coasts following the Civil War.
Captain John McGowan. (He assumed
duties of General Superintendent on the Atlantic and Gulf
Coasts on death of T. B. Tillman.)
First to transfer to five cutters in four years.
3rd Lt., John McGowan July 1834 – Nov 1838.
First officer to supervise the LSS on the New
Jersey coast.
Captain Douglas Ottinger, June 15, 1851.
First captain to lose a lightship at sea.
Captain Gay Moore, April 26, 1852.
First to command a cutter in battle against a Mexican
warship.
Captain Ezekiel Jones, 1835.
First captain of a lightship at Sand Key, Florida.
Captain Francis Martin, Nov. 27, 1846.
First 1st Lt. to supervise the construction
of an “iron” steamer.
Gay Moore, June 1844, (Dallas at Buffalo)
First to surrender a cutter to a foreign enemy in war.
Captain George Brooks, July 1812, James Madison.
First recorded captain to use political influence to
get himself out of transfer orders.
Captain Andrew Mather, July 5, 1836.
First to be reinstated to service as 3rd Lt., from 1st Lt.
Josiah Murch, Jan. 16, 1843.
First officer to be reinstated on recommendation from
officer who was originally junior to him.
Josiah Murch, July 23, 1833.
First captain ordered to inspect and explore U. S. coast.
Captain Richard Derby, July 1831, in Morris.
First officer in charge of Alaskan expedition after
1867 purchase of Alaska.
Captain William A. Howard, June 4, 1867.
First to decline an exchange
of station with another officer.
Lt. H. H. Green, Nov. 9, 1839 (with 2nd
Lt. Samuel F. Williams)
Shortest career caused by resignation:
3rd Lt. Felix Grundy Mason, Commissioned,
Dec. 26, 1848. Resigned, April 9, 1849.
Shortest career caused by reduction in force:
3rd Lt. Alexander Murry. Commissioned, March 2, 1849. Dismissed, June 11, 1849.
Shortest career as a captain:
Captain W. W. Shippen. Commissioned,
March 10, 1862. Resigned, April 17, 1862.
First to attend the Naval War
College.
2nd Lt., James L. Sill, June 12, 1894.
First to be allowed to return to homeport from cruise
(Alaska) because
he had no clothing.
3rd Lt., Andrew J. Henderson, from Bear,
March 20, 1891.
To supervise construction work at Ellis Island Immigration Station, New
York. (7)
Captain Charles A. Abbey, May 14, 1895.
First to be born in Washington, DC,
to become commandant.
Frederick C. Billard. (born
Sept. 22, 1873).
First to be an advisor to a Naval reserve unit.
2nd Lt., Chester
H. Jones, July 30, 1913.
First to receive training in installation, operation
and repair of radio equipment.
2nd Lt., John P. Gray, at Navy Yard, New York.
First in RCS who served in another service under a different
name.
Captain Charles C. Fengar, served in U. S. Army under
name of John Gibson, July - Nov. 1864.
First to service temporarily with another agency.
1st Asst. Engineer Carl M. Green, to MHS Jan. 25,
1899.
Birth Places/
First Norwegian born.
Captain Eric Gabrielson, July 26, 1840.
First Welsh born.
Captain David Evans, born July 4, 1817.
First Swiss born.
Engineer, Eugene Vallette
[Vallat]
First Southeast Asian born.
Godfrey Lynet Carden, born July 26, 1866, Bangkok, Siam.
First engineer appointed from West Virginia.
2nd
Asst. Engineer, Daniel T. Cross, May 1, 1883.
Retirement/
First to retire at San Diego, CA.
Chief Engineer James A. Doyle, Feb. 3, 1903.
First retiree to die at San Diego, CA.
Chief Engineer James A. Doyle, March 8, 1904.
First retired under 1902 law.
Captain Alfred B. Davis, April 12, 1902.
First brought out of retirement.
Captain Alfred B. Davis, April 12, 1902.
Surgeons:
First surgeon to be accorded wardroom privileges.
Surgeon Wiley S. Athey,
March 9, 1897.
Inspections.
First to inspect lighthouses and cutters from Sabine
River, Texas to Passaquoddy
Bay, Maine.
Captain Henry D. Hunter, Jan. 10, 1834 in Taney;
November 1834 in Jackson and continued
inspecting south on April 18, 1836.
First to serve as fleet (RCS) inspector following Civil
War.
Captain William A. Howard, Nov. 20, 1865.
Commandants:
First head of service to be dismissed from the service.
Capt. Alexander V. Frazer, August 14, 1856.
First Commandant not to have had his Captain’s commission
confirmed.
Captain Leonard G. Shepard, Dec. 5, 1877.
First to become Commandant the day after being promoted to captain.
Captain Charles F. Shoemaker, March 19, 1896.
First Commandant to take command of a cutter as commandant.
Captain Charles F. Shoemaker, Windom, July
1897.
First Commandant to visit Cuba. (7)
Captain Charles F. Shoemaker, October 1898.
First Commandant to visit an occupied territory from
a war.
Captain Charles F. Shoemaker, October 1898.
Cuba and Puerto Rico.
First Commandant to visit the U. S.
west coast.
Captain Charles F. Shoemaker, April 1900.
First to make an inspection of the service in 20th
Century.
Worth G. Ross, July 27, 1905.
First assigned, full time, aide to a commandant.
1st Lt., John
E. Reinburg, June 15, 1905.
First to serve on a cutter lost at sea.
Russell R. Waesche, (as 2nd
Lt.), Perry, July 27, 1910.
Cadets:
First Cadet Appointed/
Appointed from Alabama.
Benjamin L. Brockway, Aug. 16, 1897.
Appointed from California.
William G. Blasdel, Nov. 15, 1895. (born
in Arkansas)
Albert H. Buhner, Nov. 15, 1895. (born
in Rhode Island)
Appointed from Colorado.
Clement Joseph Todd, May 13, 1909.
Appointed from Connecticut.
Charles E. Mower, June 8, 1883.
(appointment vacated).
Appointed from District of Columbia.
George A. York, Feb. 12, 1877. (Born in Massachusetts)
Appointed from Georgia.
Stephen Safford Yeandle, Oct. 10, 1908.
Appointed from Illinois.
Augustus Y. Lowe, June 7, 1880.
Appointed from Indiana.
John B. Okie, May 28, 1881.(resigned)
Appointed from Iowa.
Jacob E. Fickel, July 26, 1902.
Appointed from Kansas.
Leonidas L. Robinson, May 21, 1886.
(Born in Ohio)
Appointed from Louisiana.
Frank
B. Goudey, May 20, 1896.
Appointed from Maine.
Edward F. Kimball
Appointed from Maryland.
William E. W. Hall, June 7, 1880.
Appointed from Massachusetts.
Orin D. Myrick, Jan. 4, 1877.
Appointed from Michigan.
Byron L. Reed, May 31, 1882.
Appointed from Mississippi.
James C. Hooker, April 9, 1894. (born in Tennessee)
Appointed from New Hampshire.
George A. Cook, March28, 1877.
Appointed from New Jersey.
Ellsworth Price Bertholf, Sept. 4, 1885.
(born in New
York)
Appointed from New York. (three way tie). May
22, 1878.
George H. Doty,
Charles DeWitt Drew, (Resigned)
Francis M. Dunwoody,
Appointed from North Carolina.
John Cassin Cantwell, June 7, 1880.
(First southern born officer appointed since before Civil War).
Appointed from North Dakota.
Joseph Raoul Besse, June 5, 1906 (Born in Minn.)
Appointed from Ohio.
John E. Lutz, June 4, 1879.
Appointed from Pennsylvania.
Worth Gwynn Ross, Jan. 4 ,1877
(Born in Ohio).
Appointed from Rhode Island.
George M. Daniels, May 15, 1889.
Appointed from South Carolina. (Born in
New York).
Jno. L. Davis, March 28, 1877.
Appointed from Texas.
Martin Turrentine Killough, May 6, 1909.
Appointed from West Virginia.
Bernard Holt Camden,
April 9, 1894.
Appointed from Wisconsin.
George A. Starkwearther, June 7, 1880.
First Cadet Born in.
Born in Alabama.
Benjamin L. Brockway, Livingston,
Nov. 20, 1874. (son of RCS engineer)
Born in California.
John Mel, Dec. 5, 1873.
Born in Colorado.
Clement Joseph Todd, Aspen, Aug. 6, 1886.
Born in Connecticut.
Charles Satterlee, Essex Sept. 14, 1875.
Born in Arkansas.
William G. Blasdel, Hot Springs , July 6, 1875.
Born in Georgia.
Randolph Ridgeley, Jr., Burke Co. (unknown)
Born in Illinois.
Augustus Y. Lowe, (unknown).
Born in Indiana.
John B. Okie, 1859.
Born in Iowa.
Jacob E. Fickel, Des Monies, Jan. 31, 1883.
Born in Kansas.
Gustavus Urban Stewart, Celay, Sept. 24, 1887.
Frederick J. Birket, Greenwood, Jan. 12, 1887.
Born in Louisiana.
Frank B. Goudey, New
Orleans , March 5, 1876.
Born in Maine.
Edward F. Kimball, (unknown).
Born in Maryland.
William Edward Reynolds, Montgomery Co., Jan. 11, 1860.
Born in Massachusetts.
Orin D. Myrick, Boston, Nov. 22, 1854.
Born in Michigan.
Byron L. Reed, Lenawee Co., Sept. 10, 1861.
Born in Mississippi.
Roger Chew Weightman, Vicksburg, April 23, 1884.
Born in Montana.
Carl Christian Von Paulsen, Helena, Jan. 24, 1891.
Born in New Jersey.
Percy H. Brereton, Patterson, July 8, 1863.
Born in North Carolina.
John Cassin Cantwell, Raleigh, Jan. 9, 1859.
Born in Pennsylvania.
Thomas B. Maynadier, (unknown).
Born in Rhode Island.
George M. Daniels, Providence, March 29, 1870.
Born in South
Carolina.
Walter B. Izard, May 16, 1873.
Born in Tennessee.
James C. Hooker, near Pittsburgh Landing, Aug. 18,
1871.
Born in Texas.
Charles E. Mower, March 4, 1859.
Born in Vermont.
Frank W. Smith, Cambridge, Sept. 27, 1874
Born in Virginia.
William C. Shields, Dec. 5, 1862.
Born in West Virginia.
Bernard Holt Camden,
Weston, Aug. 26, 1867.
Born in Wisconsin.
George A. Strarkwearther, (unknown).
Born in Brazil.
D. F. A. de Otte, born Feb. 2, 1868.
Born in China.
Eugene Auguste Coffin,
China, Fuchau,
March 10, 1888.
Born in Germany.
Henry Ulke, Jr., Berlin, Oct. 13, 1870.
Born in Saxony.
John A. Lockwood,
1857.
Born in Southeast Asia.
Godfrey Lynet Carden, Siam[Thailand], Bangkok,
July 26, 1866.
Born at sea aboard a U. S. flag vessel.
William Pitts Wishaar, Dec. 9, 1886.
Other/
First to
graduate but have commission withheld for six months.
John S. Baylis, Nov. 6, 1909.
First to die in training.
George R. Ramel, June 17, 1907, drown,
from Chase.
First cadet to die on active service.
Maurice M. Holmes, Dec. 7, 1878 at Vineyard Haven,
Mass.
First cadet charged with drunkenness.
James H. Scott, Jan. 21, 1891.
Shortest career as a cadet.
Walter Seely, Jan. 12-16, 1894.
First cadet named Jones to enter the Revenue Cutter School of Instruction.
Edward Darlington Jones, May 11, 1904.
First cadet to be returned to training vessel Chase
for more instruction (failed examination).
John A. Lockwood, June 11, 1879.
First officer detailed to teach French at School of Instruction.
1st Lt., William V. E. Jacobs, Nov. 9, 1905, (Every
Tuesday and Friday).
Disciplinary/
First cadet to reprimanded for “licentious conduct.”
Orin D. Myrick, July 4, 1877, on Dobbin. (Worth
G. Ross received same charge July 20, 1877) For contracting
gonorrhea on a cadet cruise.
First confined to Chase and wharf for 60 days for intoxication.
Bernard H. Camden, Feb. 28, 1895.
First cadet to be for conduct unbecoming.
George F. Silvia, Nov. 30, 1888.
First cadet to be reappointed after being dismissed
for intoxication.
William S. Van Cott. Dismissed Jan. 8, 1890. Reappointed, April 4, 1890.
First cadet to desert.
Shepard K. Smith, November 2, 1887.
(left vessel before Oct. 30, 1887 resignation
accepted).
First cadet dismissed for getting married.
Christopher Culver, Jr., dismissed March 27, 1889.
(Culver married Nov. 1, 1888).
First cadet to be dismissed twice.
William S. Van Cott, Feb. 4, 1891.
To be confined to quarters for drunkenness.
Thomas L. Jenkins, Oct. 29, 1894.
Cutters:
First Great Lakes cutter to winter at Norfolk.
Harrison, Dec.
12, 1853.
First cutter transferred to the Light House Establishment.
Rush, April 3, 1840.
First steam revenue cutter built at Boston.
McLane, 1847.
First cutter destroyed in a hurricane.
Vigilant, Oct. 1844 at Key
West.
First cutter lost at San
Francisco.
Lawrence, Nov. 25, 1851 (Douglas Ottinger,
commanding)
First cutter assigned to Galveston,
Texas.
Henry A. Dodge, July 16, 1864 (Stephen Cornell,
commanding)
First cutter named for a Navy officer.
Commodore Barry.
First lightship lost at sea.
Key West, April 26, 1852.
First U. S.
vessel to fight a Mexican war ship.
USRC Ingham vs. Mexican war schooner Montezuma. June 1835.
First RCS vessel captured by British in War of 1812.
James Madison. July 1812.
First cutter wrecked at Key
West.
Morris, November 1846.
First cutter lost in Alaskan waters.
Perry on Saint
Paul Island.
July 27, 1910.
First cutter to have a “power dory.”
Forward, July 20, 1909.
First lost in Mexican waters.
Dallas, 1836.
First cutter to sail from Honolulu on Artic cruise.
Thetis, April 25, 1904.
First to host a Philippine delegation.
Algonquin, Boston,
June, 1904. Captain Howard Emery.
First cutter blown up by explosion of own powder
magazine.
Gallatin, 1813.