William Michael Crose (February 8, 1867 – April 4, 1929) was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and the seventh Naval Governor of American Samoa, from November 10, 1910 to March 14, 1913. He was the first person designated "Governor of

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...

", rather than the previous "Governor of Tutuila".

Life and career

Early life

Crose was born in Greencastle, Indiana on February 8, 1867.Government of American Samoa (2009). He was appointed to the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

on May 19, 1884 and graduated in 1888.

Naval career

The United States Department of the Navy awarded Crose the Navy Cross for "exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. NORTH DAKOTA in the Atlantic Fleet, during World War I."Military Times (2009). On July 1, 1890, Crose was commissioned into the United States Navy as an ensign. On May 10, 1898, he became a

lieutenant (junior grade) Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies. United States Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), is ...

, and a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

on March 3, 1898. He was stationed on in 1888, in 1890, the Naval Hydrographic office in 1894, in 1895, the same year, the

Bureau of Equipment Bureau ( ) may refer to: Agencies and organizations *Government agency *Public administration * News bureau, an office for gathering or distributing news, generally for a given geographical location * Bureau (European Parliament), the administrat ...

in 1898, and in 1900.Hamersly (1902), 307.

Governorship

On November 10, 1910, Crose relieved

John Frederick Parker John Frederick Parker (May 19, 1830 – June 28, 1890) was an American police officer for the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia. Parker was one of four men detailed to act as United States President Abraham Lincoln's bod ...

of command of

United States Naval Station Tutuila United States Naval Station Tutuila was a naval station in Pago Pago Harbor on the island of Tutuila, part of American Samoa, built in 1899 and in operation until 1951. During the United States Navy rule of American Samoa, from 1900 to 1951, it was ...

, becoming the seventh Naval Governor of American Samoa. While Governor, Crose appointed a board of education, composed of a naval chaplain, a naval assistant surgeon, and the wife of a local school teacher. He also pushed for the renaming of the island Naval Post, claiming the name Tutuila was inadequate, as the territory contained additional islands other than Tutuila, and recommending a new name of either "American Samoa" or "Eastern Samoa", a wish he expressed to the

Secretary of the Navy The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense. By law, the se ...

in a 1911 letter. On July 17, 1911, the island was officially designated "

", and President of the United States

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

recommissioned Crose as "Governor of American Samoa", rather than "Governor of Tutuila" on October 24, 1912. Crose also amended laws on firearms, perjury, road maintenance, and importation of animals. On March 14, 1913, Crose transferred command to

Nathan Woodworth Post Nathan Woodworth Post (August 3, 1881 – May 30, 1938) was the governor of American Samoa. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1904, and commanded and the Naval Recruiting Station in Omaha, Nebraska. He served two terms as g ...

Post-governorship

Crose died in San Diego on April 4, 1929, and was buried at sea.

Notes

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Crose, William Michael 1867 births 1929 deaths Governors of American Samoa People from Greencastle, Indiana American military personnel of World War I Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy officers Military personnel from Indiana Burials at sea