Sumner Ely Wetmore Kittelle (June 14, 1867 – December 29, 1950) was a
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 ...
in the
United States Navy and a veteran of the
Spanish–American War and
World War I. He was also the third military
Governor of the United States Virgin Islands. Late in life, he also became an author and published a book on his family's
genealogy.
Kittelle was born in
Peekskill, New York. He graduated from the
United States Naval Academy in 1889. He was awarded the
Navy Cross for his service during World War I, as commander of the battleship of the Atlantic Fleet.
He was promoted to rear admiral in 1921 and made Governor of the Virgin Islands, a position he held only until 1922. Almost immediately on becoming governor, he sacked the civilian colonial assembly. In 1927, while a
commandant of the
16th Naval District
The naval district was a U.S. Navy military and administrative command ashore. Apart from Naval District Washington, the Districts were disestablished and renamed Navy Regions about 1999, and are now under Commander, Naval Installations Command ...
, he exposed a plot by "
communists" to destroy a shipyard at
Cavite. He retired in 1931.
In 1946, Kittelle wrote ''The Ketel family,: Also (Ketele, Kettele, Kettel, Kittelle and Kittle)'', a history of his family tree.
References
''The 1899 Membership Register for The Empire State Society, S.A.R.''*"SUMNER KITTELLE, RETIRED ADMIRAL." ''The New York Times'', December 30, 1950. p. 13
Succession
1867 births
1950 deaths
American genealogists
United States Navy personnel of World War I
Governors of the United States Virgin Islands
People from Peekskill, New York
American military personnel of the Spanish–American War
United States Naval Academy alumni
United States Navy admirals
Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
Historians from New York (state)
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