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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy Department Library

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  • Documentary Histories
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
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Fifth Naval District

The boundaries of the Fifth Naval District, to be headquartered at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, were established on 7 May 1903 in accordance with General Order No. 128, signed by Acting Secretary of the Navy Charles H. Darling. Until late 1915 no personnel were assigned to the district staff. In 1945 the district was headquartered at the Naval Operating Base at Norfolk and consisted of the following geographic areas: Maryland less Anne Arundel, Prince Georges, Montgomery, St. Mary's, Calvert, and Charles Counties; West Virginia; Virginia less Arlington, Fairfax, Stafford, King George, Prince William, and Westmoreland Counties; and the Counties of Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Gates, Perquimans, Chowan, Tyrrell, Washington, Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico, Craven, Jones, Carteret, Onslow, and Dare in North Carolina; also the Diamond Shoal Lightship. The Fifth Naval District was disestablished on 30 September 1980.

  1915-1918 RADM Walter McLean 25 November 1915
  1918-1921 RADM Augustus F. Fechteler 5 February 1918
  1921-1923 RADM Hugh Rodman 2 July 1921
  1923-1925 RADM Roger Welles 31 August 1923
  1925-1928 RADM Robert E. Coontz 30 November 1925
  1928-1931 RADM Guy H. Burrage 15 September 1928
  1931-1932 RADM William D. MacDougall 10 July 1931
  1932-1935 RADM Arthur L. Willard 9 July 1932
  1935-1935 RADM Arthur S. Smith  
  1935-1937 RADM Frank H. Brumby 8 April 1935
  1937-1943 RADM Manley H. Simons 22 November 1937
  1943 RADM H. Fairfax Leary 1 June 1943
  1943-45 RADM David M. LeBreton 30 October 1945
  1945-1948 RADM Walden L. Ainsworth 20 August 1945
  1948-1953 RADM Ralph O. Davis 30 November 1948
  1953-1957 RADM Ingolf N. Kiland 26 January 1953
  1960-1961 RADM William O. Burch, Jr. 24 December 1960
  1961-1963 RADM Wallis F. Petersen 11 September 1961
  1963-1966 RADM Edmund B. Taylor 12 November 1963
  1966-1968 RADM Reynold D. Hogle June 1966
  1968-1970 RADM James C. Dempsey May 1968
  1970-1973 RADM James O. Cobb September 1970
  1973-1975 RADM Roy G. Anderson January 1973
  1975-1976 RADM Richard E. Rumble February 1975
  1976-1978 RADM William H. Ellis April 1976
  1978-1979 RADM Richard E. Nicholson August 1978
  1979-1980 RADM James H. Scott August 1979

Notes: RADM = Rear Admiral.

The administrative records of the Fifth Naval District are located in Record Group (RG) 181.2.4 at the National Archives and Records Administration’s Mid Atlantic Region Archives Facility (Center City Philadelphia) at 900 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-4292 (entrance on Chestnut Street, between 9th and 10th Streets), telephone 215-606-0100.

An unpublished 7-volume administrative history of the Fifth Naval District during World War II, known as “World War II Naval Administrative History # 112,” 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 #112."

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Published: Wed Jun 01 11:41:03 EDT 2022