Naval History and Heritage Command

Rear Admiral John Adrian Hoogewerff, born in Howard County, Maryland, November 27, 1860, died in Honolulu, Hawaii, February 13, 1933, having retired from the Naval Service on November 27, 1924.

Appointed a Naval Cadet by the President on June 27, 1877, he completed the four year course at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and graduated in 1881.  He subsequently advanced in rank as follows: Ensign, July 1, 1883; Lieutenant (junior grade), November, 1893; Lieutenant, July, 1897; Lieutenant Commander, March, 1903; Commander, June 1907; Captain, May 1911; Rear Admiral (temporary) August, 1917, and was commissioned in that rank July 1, 1918.

When detached from the Naval Academy in June, 1881, he had duty in the USS Lancaster, and after two years he reported for duty at the Naval Observatory, Washington, D. C., serving there until June, 1892.  He then served two years at seas in the USS Charleston as Watch and Division Officer, and transferred to the USS Philadelphia in August, 1894.  A year later he again had shore duty, at the Naval Academy, Annapolis.

In May, 1896, he joined the USS Monongahela.  During the Spanish-American War, he served in the USS Cincinnati, of the North Atlantic Squadron, engaged in blockading Cuban ports and participating in the engagement at Matanzas, Cuba.  From January, 1899 to June, 1905, he served as Navigator successively of the USS Amphirite, USS Chesapeake, USS Dixie, USS Panther, and as Executive Officer of the newly commissioned cruiser Minneapolis.

His next assignment to shore duty was served at the Naval Academy from June 30, 1905 to May, 1908, and the summer of 1908 he was in command of the USS Chicago on the Midshipman’s Practice Cruise.  That duty completed in September, he took passage for the Asiatic Station, and assumed duty as Head of the Department of Equipment and Ordnance, Naval Station, Olongapo, Philippine Islands.  After several months he commanded the Monadnock and the Monterey in reserve, later, in 1909, commanding the USS Galveston until that cruiser was decommissioned a year later.  In April, 1910, he had duty with the General Board, Navy Department, Washington, with additional temporary duty at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.  In April, 1911, he was transferred to command of the USS Kansas at Norfolk, Virginia.

When relieved of command of the Kansas, he attended the Naval War College, completing the course in January, 1914.  He then was appointed Superintendent of the naval Observatory, and served from February, 1914 until March, 1917.  Given command of the USS Pennsylvania, flagship of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, he served from April to August, 1917, and then assumed duty as Commander Division 1, Battleship Force, Atlantic Fleet, USS Alabama, flagship.  He was awarded the Navy Cross “For exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commander Division One, battleship Force One, Atlantic Fleet.”  Before the end of the war he had transferred to command of Division 4, Battleships, Atlantic Fleet.

In February, 1919, he returned to the naval Observatory as Superintendent, and had additional duty as President of the Naval Examining Board, convened in the Navy Department on March 21, 1921.  The following June he was ordered to duty as Commandant, Navy Yard, Puget Sound, Washington, where he served until October, 1924. Returning to the Navy Department at that, he served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations until relieved of all active duty.  His retirement became effective on November 27, 1924, after 47 years of active duty in the Navy.

His home was in Pennsylvania, but his death occurred on February 13, 1933 in Honolulu, while visiting his son Hiester, a naval officer (now Captain, USN Retired).  He was buried on May 2, 1933 in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.

In addition to the Navy Cross, he also had the Spanish Campaign Medal, and the World War I Victory Medal with Atlantic Fleet Clasp.

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