Percy Wright Foote (August 13, 1879 – June 23, 1961) was an American naval officer, and

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

of the United States Navy who served as the commanding officer of a US ship during World War I. The President of the United States of that time conferred Distinguished Service Medal upon Foote for representing his responsibilities as commanding officer of the

USS President Lincoln USS ''President Lincoln'' was a troop transport in the United States Navy during World War I. Formerly the German steamer ''President Lincoln'' of the Hamburg-American Line, it was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast in 1907. Seized in New Y ...

. Foote was praised by the

Government of United States The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

and the navy officials for combating a disaster when torpedoes from the German submarine struck his ship on 31 May 1918.

Biography

Foote was born to James Henry Foote and Susanna Clemene Hunt on August 13, 1879 in Roaring River Township, North Carolina. He was married to Grace Genevieve Clary and had two children Capt Thomas Clary Foote and Diana Harrison Foote. Foote graduated from the United States Naval Academy at

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

in 1901. He served as the commanding officer and later, rear admiral of the United States Navy.

Career

On May 20, 1887, he was appointed as naval cadet and was commissioned ensign on June 6, 1903. In 1906, he strengthened the Navy by introducing a specific fire control method. Foote was promoted to the junior grade of lieutenant and lieutenant on June 7, 1907. Percy also served lieutenant commander on March 10, 1914, and later, he took several positions, including commanding officer. Lot-5421-9 (27309262030)

The US navy commander Percy was described in heroic terms for saving his ship, the

when it was struck by a German submarine that was carrying US military personnel during the war. On May 31, 1918, the ship was torpedoed by the ''U-90'' submarine that killed seven military personnel, and rest men were rescued by him and prevented the ship from sinking. He was consequently commended by the Navy Secretary

Josephus Daniels Josephus Daniels (May 18, 1862 – January 15, 1948) was an American newspaper editor and publisher from the 1880s until his death, who controlled Raleigh's ''News & Observer'', at the time North Carolina's largest newspaper, for decades. A D ...

, and awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action, and the Distinguished Service Medal. He was the aide to Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, during 1918-1921. Later appointed commander of the USS ''Arkansas'', 1931-1933, before his retirement. He was recalled during World War II as senior inspector of shipyards in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas during World War II. He retired as rear admiral. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

References

External links

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Rear admiral Foote on ibiblio.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foote, Percy Wright 1879 births 1961 deaths 19th-century American naval officers People from Wilkes County, North Carolina Admirals of World War I United States Navy rear admirals