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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy Department Library

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  • Documentary Histories
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  • World War II 1939-1945
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Fifteenth Naval District

The Fifteenth Naval District, headquartered at Balboa in the Canal Zone, was established on 28 November 1917 by an executive order dated 27 August 1917 and encompassed "the waters adjacent to the Canal Zone exclusive of the area between the inner limits of the defensive sea areas established at the Atlantic Entrance and the Pacific Entrance of the Panama Canal." In 1945 the district consisted of the following geographic area: Panama Canal Zone. The Fifteenth Naval District was disestablished on 31 December 1975 its responsibilities were transferred to the Panama Canal US Naval Station.

  1918-1919 RADM Marbury Johnston 18 November 1918
  1919-1922 RADM Montgomery M. Taylor August 1919
  1922-1925 RADM Noble E. Irwin December 1922
  1925-1927 RADM George C. Day 11 July 1925
  1927-1929 RADM Henry H. Christy August 1927
  1929-1930 RADM John R. Y. Blakely May 1929
  1930-1931 RADM Henry H. Hough July 1930
  1931-1933 RADM Noble E. Irwin October 1931
  1933-1935 RADM Walter S. Crosley 9 June 1933
  1935-1937 RADM Albert W. Marshall 1 October 1935
  1937-1939 RADM Walter N. Vernou 4 September 1937
  1939-1942 RADM Frank H. Sadler 10 August 1939
  1942-1943 RADM Clifford E. Van Hook 15 April 1942
  1943-1944 RADM Harold C. Train 14 October 1943
  1944 CAPT Ellis S. Stone (A) 10 June 1944
  1944-1945 RADM Howard F. Kingman 3 November 1944
  1945 CAPT Schuyler Mills (A) 9 July 1945
  1945-1946 RADM John R. Beardall 23 August 1945
  1948-1950 RADM Edward W. Hanson 13 February 1948
  1950-1954 RADM Albert M. Bledsoe 11 December 1950
  1954-1956 RADM Milton E. Miles 8 February 1954
  1956-1957 RADM Clarence L. Atkeson 21 June 1956
  1957-1957 RADM Daniel V. Gallery, Jr. 17 May 1957
  1957-1959 RADM George H. Wales 3 September 1957
  1959-1960 RADM Lewis S. Parks 11 May 1959
  1960-1962 RADM Richard S. Craighill 8 June 1960
  1962-1964 RADM William E. Ferrall 4 May 1962
  1966-1967 RADM Ralph C. Johnson 15 June 1966
  1967-1969 RADM George P. Koch January 1967
  1969-1971 RADM Charles D. Nace June 1969
  1971-1973 RADM Charles H. Griffiths August 1971
  1973 RADM Robert H. Blount May 1973
   

Notes: CAPT = Captain, RADM = Rear Admiral.

The administrative records of the Fifteenth Naval District are located in Record Group (RG) 181.2.14 at the National Archives and Records Administration’s Southwest Region facility at 501 West Felix Street, Building 1, Fort Worth, Texas 76115-3405, telephone 817-831-5620.

An unpublished 2-volume administrative history of the Fifteenth Naval District and Panama Sea Frontier during World War II, known as “World War II Naval Administrative History # 122,” is located in the Navy Department Library. It is unavailable for loan and must be consulted in the library. Photocopying of this manuscript is generally prohibited; the use of digital cameras by researchers is encouraged. Permission to photocopy a limited number of pages may be granted by the reference staff, contingent upon the physical state of the item. Any photocopying of this manuscript shall be done under the close supervision of the reference staff. The use of personal scanners by non-library staff personnel must be approved by the reference staff on a document-by-document basis (Reference: Naval Historical Center Instruction [NAVHISTCENTINST] 5070.1C.). When requesting the administrative history, please specify its number. For example: "I'd like to examine World War Two Admin. History #122."

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Published: Wed Jun 01 11:40:20 EDT 2022