Rear Admiral John Hubbard (19 May 1849 – 30 May 1932) was an

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

in the

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 ...

. He fought in the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...

, played a prominent role in the independence of

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

from Colombia in 1903, and served as Commander-in-Chief of the

United States Asiatic Fleet The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...

Naval career

Hubbard was born in South Berwick,

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

, on 19 May 1849, the son of John Hubbard and the former Eleanor Augusta Tucker, and entered 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 27 July 1866. While there, he led the Academys

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...

team to victory in 1870, serving as stroke oar on a Navy crew. He graduated on 7 June 1870. Hubbard served aboard the sloop-of-war on the

European Station The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was originally named the Mediterranean Squadron and renamed following the American Civil Wa ...

from 1871 to 1874, being promoted to

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

on 13 July 1871 and to

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on 15 September 1873. He was assigned to the

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from 1874 to 1877, then served on special duty aboard the steamer from 1877 to 1879 – being promoted to

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 ...

on 28 December 1878 – before moving to the

Asiatic Station The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century. It was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded. Vessels of the squadron were primarily inv ...

for duty aboard the sloop-of-war from 1879 to 1883. After duty at the

Naval Torpedo Station The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) is the United States Navy's full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support center for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, and offensive and defensive weapons ...

in Newport,

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...

, in 1883, Hubbard served at the

Bureau of Navigation The Bureau of Navigation, later the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection and finally the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation — not to be confused with the United States Navys Bureau of Navigation — was an agency of the United ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, from 1883 to 1884. He was on lighthouse duty from 1884 to 1886, then on special duty at the

United States Department of the Navy The United States Department of the Navy (DoN) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, at the urging of Secretary o ...

from 1887 to 1888. Hubbard returned to sea in 1889 aboard the

protected cruiser Protected cruisers, a type of naval cruiser of the late-19th century, gained their description because an armoured deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers re ...

in the

Squadron of Evolution The Squadron of Evolution—sometimes referred to as the "White Squadron"— was a transitional unit in the United States Navy during the late 19th century. It was probably inspired by the French "Escadre d'évolution" of the 18th and 19th centur ...

, serving aboard her until July 1892 when he became Inspector of

Ordnance Ordnance may refer to: Military and defense *Materiel in military logistics, including weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment. **The military branch responsible for supplying and developing these items, e.g., the Unit ...

. Leaving that duty in July 1895, he was assigned to the

training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...

. On the eve of the

, Hubbard left ''Essex'' and reported aboard the

auxiliary cruiser An armed merchantman is a merchant ship equipped with guns, usually for defensive purposes, either by design or after the fact. In the days of sail, piracy and privateers, many merchantmen would be routinely armed, especially those engaging in ...

, then

fitting out Fitting out, or outfitting, is the process in shipbuilding that follows the float-out/launching of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her o ...

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, in March 1898. ''Yankee'' was commissioned on 14 April 1898, and during the Spanish–American War participated in the

blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are leg ...

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, the Battle of Guantánamo Bay, and actions off

Casilda Casilda is a city in the provinces of Argentina, province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe, Argentina. It is the head town of the Caseros Department, and lies about west of Rosario and 202 km south-southwest of the provincial capital Santa Fe, ...

and Cienfuegos. After the war, Hubbard left ''Yankee'' in October 1898 and was promoted to

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding ran ...

on 6 October 1898. Hubbards next duty was as ordnance officer at the New York Navy Yard in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, from November 1898 until January 1900, when he began a tour aboard the

monitor Monitor or monitor may refer to: Places * Monitor, Alberta * Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States * Monitor, Kentucky * Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States * Monitor, Washington * Monitor, Logan County, West ...

, which was serving as a

gun A gun is a ranged weapon designed to use a shooting tube (gun barrel) to launch projectiles. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns/cannons, spray guns for painting or pressure washing, p ...

nery training ship. In February 1901 he left ''Amphitrite'' to begin a second tour on lighthouse duty. He was promoted to commander in April 1901. By November 1903, Hubbard was the commanding officer of the

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-ste ...

operating off the Isthmus of Panama. He played a prominent role in blocking interference by Colombian troops in the separation of

from Colombia that month, and was noted for his leadership in preventing European countries, particularly the German Empire, from asserting authority in Panama as it became an independent country. Promoted to captain on 8 July 1905, Hubbard became the first commanding officer of the battleship when she was commissioned on 9 March 1907. He commanded ''Minnesota'' during her duties related to the

Jamestown Exposition The Jamestown Exposition was one of the many world's fairs and expositions that were popular in the United States in the early part of the 20th century. Commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in the Virginia Colony, it w ...

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, from 22 April 1907 to 3 September 1907 and during her voyage around the world as part of the " Great White Fleet" between 16 December 1907 and 22 February 1909. Hubbard later performed special duty at the Department of the Navy and served as a member of the

General Board of the United States Navy The General Board of the United States Navy was an advisory body of the United States Navy, somewhat akin to a naval general staff and somewhat not. The General Board was established by general order 544, issued on March 13, 1900 by Secretary ...

, and was promoted to rear admiral on 25 October 1909. He was serving as Commander, 3rd Division,

United States Pacific Fleet The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor� ...

, when he visited

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

, Japan, in January 1910 to present a

loving cup A loving cup is a shared drinking container traditionally used at weddings and banquets. It usually has two handles and is often made of silver. Loving cups are often given as trophies to winners of games or competitions. Background Loving cups ...

to the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...

on behalf of the

United States Atlantic Fleet United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

in recognition of the courtesy Japan had extended to the "Great White Fleet" during its visit to Japan in October 1908; Japanese Admiral

Saitō Makoto Viscount was a Japanese naval officer and politician. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Saitō Makoto"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 809. Upon distinguishing himself during his command of two cruisers in the First Sino-Japanese War, Saitō rose ...

accepted the cup as a number of dignitaries – including Admiral Heihachiro Togo and

United States Ambassador Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the president to serve as the country's diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S ...

to Japan Thomas J. O'Brien – looked on. Hubbard became Commander-in-Chief of the

on 16 February 1910. Relinquishing command of the Asiatic Fleet on 16 May 1911, Hubbard retired from the Navy upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 62 on 19 May 1911. He died in Washington, D.C., on the evening of 30 May 1932.

Commemoration

Hubbard Hall, also known as "The Boat House," on

Dorsey Creek Dorsey may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Dorsey (surname) * Dorsey (given name) Places United States * Dorsey, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Dorsey, Maryland, an unincorporated community ** Dorsey station, a passenger rail station * Dorse ...

at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, is named for Hubbard. It is the home of the Academys rowing teams. Opened in 1930, it was the first building at the Academy to be named after a living person.

Gallery

File:USN loving cup to japanese navy in 1910.jpg,

Notes

References

Anonymous. "Admiral Hubbard Dies." ''The Daily Courier'' (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), May 31, 1932.

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20040321230621/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/y1/yankee-ii.htm ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'': USS ''Yankee'' II
Naval History and Heritage Command: Officers of the Continental and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775-1900.

Reports of the Navy Department for the Fiscal Year 1911. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1911

Greeley, Horace, John Fitch Cleveland, F. J. Ottarson, Edward McPherson, Alexander Jacob Schem, and Henry Eckford Rhoades. ''The'' Tribune ''Alamanac and Political Record''. New York: The Tribune Association, 1910.

Hamersly, Lewis Randolph. ''The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, Seventh Edition'', New York: L. R. Hamersly Company, 1902.

Marquis, Albert Nelson, ed. ''Whos Who in America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of the United States, Volume VI, 1910-1911''. Chicago: A. N. Marquis & Company, 1910.

Royston, Mark W. ''The Faces Behind the Bases: Short Biographies of the Persons For Whom Military Bases Are Named''. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse, 2009.
.

External links

John Hubbard Memoirs, 1909-1930 (bulk 1916) MS 424
held by Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy * ''Note: The Asiatic Fleet was the First

Squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...