Augustus F. Fechteler

Augustus Francis Fechteler (1 September 1857 – 26 May 1921) was a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy during World War I. He had two sons also served in the Navy, Admiral William Fechteler was Chief of Naval Operations and Lieutenant Frank Caspar Fechteler, an early naval aviator that died in an airplane crash 18 September 1922.

Early life
Augustus Francis Fechteler, born in Paderborn, Prussia (now Germany) 1 September 1857. His family emigrated to the United States in 1865.

Naval service
He was appointed Cadet Midshipman to the US Naval Academy by the Honorable Thomas J. Creamer, Member of Congress from the Seventh District of New York in June 1873, and completed the course on 20 June 1877.

His first service at sea was on European Station, and during the period, June 1879 to November 1888, he served successively aboard the USS Shenandoah (1862); with the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey from 1882 to 1885; in the receiving ship USS Vermont (1848); training ships USS Jamestown (1844) and USS Portsmouth (1843); and USS Essex (1874). On 10 January 1889, he reported to the Bureau of Navigation, Navy department, Washington, DC, and a year later was transferred to the Office of Naval Intelligence where he remained until January 1892.

He was placed in charge of a draft of men sent to Mare Island, California, to serve as crew for USS Mohican (1883), and reported aboard that vessel on 16 February 1892. He completed that period of sea duty in October 1894, and for a year thereafter was in charge of the Branch Hydrographic Office, San Francisco, California. From October 1895 to August 1896, he was in charge of Inspection of Ships, and on 19 September, joined USS Monterey (BM-6). He completed inspection of USS Oregon (BB-3), first class battleship, in November 1896, and in December 1898, joined USS Concord (PG-3). He remained aboard that gunboat, on Asiatic Station, until August 1899, when he joined USS Solace (AH-2) for transportation back to Mare Island, California. There he served as Aide to the Commandant until 15 August 1901.

Duty as navigator of USS Iowa (BB-4), from 16 August 1901, until she was decommissioned on 16 July 1903, was followed by inspection duty, for the Bureaus of Ordnance and Engineering, at the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, until 2 March 1904. He then returned to the Office of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department, where he served during the year following. In May 1905, he went to New York to inspect USS Dubuque (PG-17), and commanded her from her commissioning until 22 December 1906.

While on duty as a Member of the Board of Inspection and Survey, navy Department, he inspected USS Brooklyn (ACR-3) and USS Mississippi (BB-23). He attended the Conference of Officers at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, resuming his inspection duties in September 1908. He was assigned duty as General Inspector of USS South Carolina (BB-26) at the works of William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, in October 1909, and assumed command of that battleship at her commissioning on 1 March 1910. When detached in November 1911, he was designated President of the Board of Inspection and Survey (for ships), and from 18 December, that year, he had additional temporary duty in connection with battleship plans to the General Board, Navy Department.

He attended a course at the Naval War College from November 1914 until Jul 1915, when he was ordered to Provincetown, Massachusetts, to assume command of the Second Division, Atlantic Fleet, under the Commander in Chief, and on 24 July, he was commissioned Rear Admiral, to date from 11 July 1915. His flag remained in USS Florida (BB-30) after he was transferred on 15 May 1916, to duty as Commander Seventh Division, but was transferred to USS New York (BB-34) and later to USS Utah (BB-31), when he was in command of the Sixth Division, from 19 June 1916, during World War I, to 2 February 1918.

On 5 February 1918, he assumed the duties of Commandant, Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, and remained in that assignment throughout the latter months of the war and until 10 April 1919. He was awarded the Navy Cross and cited as follows: "For exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Division Commander, Sixth Division of the Atlantic Fleet, and later as Commandant of the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia."

Transferred to duty as Commandant of the Fifth Naval District, with headquarters at Norfolk, Virginia, he reported on 10 April 1919. He died on 26 May 1921, at the Naval Operating Base, Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Awards

 * Navy Cross
 * Spanish Campaign Medal
 * Philippine Campaign Medal
 * World War I Victory Medal