Naval History and Heritage Command

Born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, 27 March 1867, Rear Admiral Henry Joseph Ziegemeier died at Naval Hospital, Puget Sound, Washington on 15 October 1930, while serving as Commandant, 13^th Naval District, and Commandant, Navy Yard, Puget Sound, Washington.

He was appointed a Naval Cadet on 21 May 1886, from the 20^th District of Ohio, and completed the course at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland on 6 June 1890. He was commissioned Ensign two years later and subsequently advanced in rank to that Rear Admiral on 29 September 1922.

In July, 1890 he joined USS Pensacola, and subsequently served in Charleston, Philadelphia, Adams, and Bennington, until October, 1895. He then reported to the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island, and served until July 1897 He returned to sea duty in USS Annapolis, transferring in May, 1899 to USS Indiana, battleship. After two years served at the US Naval Academy he had duty there until June, 1908.

In June, 1908, assumed command of Hartford, still in reserve, and served successively thereafter in command of the Olympia, Chicago, and in the battleship West Virginia, he had duty as Navigator, Ordnance Officer and Executive Officer from October 1908 until April 1911. He then reported to the Navy Department, Washington, DC for duty as Secretary of the General Board. When detached from that duty in August 1913, he assumed command of USS Annapolis, transferring to USS Denver one year later, and in June 1915 became Commander Torpedo Flotilla, Pacific Fleet, temporarily in USS Iris, and to USS Cheyenne after several weeks.

He returned to the Navy Department in October, 1915, for duty as Secretary of the General Board, and additional duty as Recorder of the Joint Army-Navy Board. In June 1917 when detached from the General Board, he assumed command of USS Virginia, battleship. He was awarded the Navy Cross “For exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding Officer of USS Virginia, in the Atlantic Fleet.”

In July, 1919, when relieved of command of the Virginia, he reported later that summer to Bureau of Navigation (now Bureau of Naval Personnel), Navy Department, for duty until February 1921. He was next assigned to the Navy Yard, Mare Island, California, and had duty in connection with fitting out USS California, and in command of that battleship upon her commissioning, 10 August 1921. In August 1922, when relieved of command of California, he reported to the Navy Department, and served as Director of Naval Communications until April 1923.

In May, 1923, he was ordered to duty as Commandant, Navy Yard, Norfolk, and additional duty as Commandant, Fifth Naval District and Naval Operating Base, Hampton Roads, Virginia, but was relieved of the additional duty the following August. When in December 1924 he was detached from duty as Commandant, Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, after a few weeks in the USS Pennsylvania during battle practice, he reported as Commander Battleship Division Three, Battle Fleet, USS Pennsylvania, flagship. He served in that command from January, 1925 until June, 1927, when he was named Director of Fleet Training Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department. In November 1927 he became Commandant, 9^th Naval District, Great Lakes, Illinois, and Commanding Officer of the Naval Training Station there.

In June 1928 he was ordered to Seattle, Washington, for duty as Commandant 13^th Naval District, and Commandant, Puget Sound Navy Yard, and was so serving when, on 15 October 1930, he died in Naval Hospital, Puget Sound. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Jewel Ziegemeir, of Canton, Ohio.

In addition to the Navy Cross, Rear Admiral Ziegemeier had the Mexican Service Medal, the Spanish Campaign Medal, and the Victory Medal with Fleet Clasp, for World War I service.

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