Charles Flint Putnam (1 December 1854 – ) was an officer in the United States Navy.

Biography

Born in Freeport, Illinois, Putnam entered the United States Naval Academy at the age of 14. Upon his request at graduation in 1873, he was ordered to the Far East on , serving in that vessel with the Asiatic Squadron until 1875. Master Putnam was stationed at San Francisco, California, in 1876 and was attached to schoolship from 1877 to 1878. In 1879, he joined the Coast Survey steamer in the North Pacific. Putnam volunteered in 1881 for service in , fitted out to search for , which had been lost in the Arctic on an expedition to reach the North Pole. When ''Rodgers'' burned at Saint Lawrence Bay, Chukotka, on 30 November 1881, Putnam took supplies to the survivors on dog sledges. On his return to his depot at

Cape Serdze Cape Serdtse-Kamen (russian: мыс Сердце-Камень, literally translated as "Cape Heart-Stone") is a headland on the northeastern coast of Chukotka, Russian Federation. It is about 140 km west of Cape Dezhnev, 120 km east of ...

, he missed his way in a blinding snow storm 10 January 1882, drifted out to sea on an ice-floe and was never heard from again.

Namesakes

Three ships have been named for him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Putnam, Charles Flint 1854 births 1882 deaths People from Freeport, Illinois United States Naval Academy alumni Military personnel from Illinois United States Navy officers Jeannette expedition