Naval History and Heritage Command
The Navy Department Library
Third Naval District
The Third Naval District, headquartered at New York, New York, was established on 7 May 1903 in accordance with General Order No. 128, signed by Acting Secretary of the Navy Charles H. Darling. Puerto Rico was initially part of the district due to good communications between New York and Puerto Rico. In 1919 Puerto Rico was removed from the district and placed directly under the control of the Chief of Naval Operations. In 1945 the district, still headquartered at New York, consisted of the following geographic areas: Connecticut, New York, the northern part of New Jersey (including Counties of Mercer, Monmouth, and all counties north thereof), and also the Nantucket Shoals Lightship. The Third Naval District was disestablished on 7 October 1976 and functions were transferred to the Fourth Naval District.
| 1903-1904 | RADM Frederick Rodgers | May 1903 | |
| 1904-1907 | RADM Joseph B. Coghlan | October 1904 | |
| 1907-1909 | RADM Caspar G. Goodrich | June 1907 | |
| 1909-1910 | RADM Joseph B. Murdock | May 1909 | |
| 1910-1912 | RADM Eugene H. Leutze | March 1910 | |
| 1912-1914 | CAPT Albert Gleaves | June 1912 | |
| 1914-1919 | RADM Nathaniel R. Usher | September 1914 | |
| 1919-1921 | RADM James H. Glennon | April 1919 | |
| 1921-1921 | RADM Harry M. Huse | February 1921 | |
| 1922-1928 | RADM Charles P. Plunkett | November 1922 | |
| 1928-1928 | CAPT Frank Lyon | February 1928 | |
| 1931-1933 | RADM William W. Phelps | March 1931 | |
| 1933-1936 | RADM Yates Stirling | June 1933 | |
| 1936-1936 | CAPT Frederick L. Oliver | March 1936 | |
| 1936-1937 | RADM Harris Laning | April 1936 | |
| 1937-1941 | RADM Clark H. Woodward | October 1937 | |
| 1941-1942 | RADM Adolphus Andrews | March 1941 | |
| 1942-1944 | RADM Edward J. Marquart | March 1942 | |
| 1944-1944 | RADM William Munroe | March 1944 | |
| 1944-1948 | RADM Monroe Kelly | November 1944 | |
| 1948-1952 | RADM Walter S. DeLany | July 1948 | |
| 1952-1956 | RADM Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter | July 1952 | |
| 1956-1958 | RADM Milton E. Miles | August 1956 | |
| 1958-1959 | RADM Chester C. Wood | February 1958 | |
| 1959-1961 | VADM Thomas S. Combs | June 1959 | |
| 1961-1963 | RADM George H. Wales | June 1961 | |
| 1963-1966 | RADM Redfield Mason | May 1963 | |
| 1966-1967 | RADM George R. Luker | August 1966 | |
| 1967-1971 | RADM Francis D. Foley | September 1967 | |
| 1971-1972 | RADM John N. Shaffer | August 1971 | |
| 1972-1974 | RADM William M. Pugh II | July 1972 | |
| 1974-1976 | VADM Joseph P. Moorer | July 1974 |
Notes: RADM = Rear Admiral, CAPT = Captain, VADM = Vice Admiral.
The administrative records of the Third Naval District are located in Record Group (RG) 181.2.2 at the National Archives and Records Administration’s Northeast Region, New York City, facility at 201 Varick Street, 12th Floor, New York, New York 10014 (entrance on Houston Street, between Varick and Hudson), telephone 1-866-840-1752 or 212-401-1620.
An unpublished 5-volume administrative history of the Third Naval District during World War II, known as “World War II Naval Administrative History # 110,” 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 #110."
