B. Mitchell Simpson
Lieutenant Commander B. Mitchell Simpson III | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Benjamin Mitchell Simpson III |
| Nickname(s) | Tony |
| Born | 1932 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | May 9, 2019 (aged 86–87) Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1956-1977; 20 years |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Awards | Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Prize in Naval History |
| Spouse(s) | Wilma |
| Other work | Law Professor, Attorney, Naval Historian, Writer |
Lieutenant Commander B. Mitchell Simpson III, U.S. Navy (Ret.) (born Philadelphia, PA, 1932-died Cambridge, MA, 9 May 2019), was a professor of law, attorney, former naval officer, and naval historian, who is best known for his biography of Admiral
Harold R. Stark
.
Early life and education
Born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1932, the son of B. Mitchell Simpson II and Marshall Hall Simpson, he entered
Ph.D. in diplomatic history in 1968, having written a dissertation on "Political Considerations between the United States and the French National Committee, 1942-43."[1][2][3]
Simpson entered the U.S. Navy in 1956 and served for twenty years, retiring as a
Harold R. Stark and became interested in this former Chief of Naval Operations. In 1970, Simpson was assigned to the faculty of the U.S. Naval War College, where he taught courses in international law, international relations, naval history, and defense studies. Among his duties, he served as the editor of the Naval War College Press and Naval War College Review from 1975 to 1977. In this role, he increased the output of the Press with several books, including two of his own.[4] On his retirement from active duty, he was retained as an advanced research scholar at the Naval War College, where he spent the following three years researching and writing the biography of Admiral Stark. His book, Admiral Harold R. Stark: Architect of Victory 1939-1945, was published in 1989 and utilized a wide range of public records as well as the admiral's private papers.[5] Simpson's research papers for this were deposited in the Naval War College's Naval Historical Collection.[6]
Career as Attorney and Law Professor
In 1980, Simpson entered the private practice of law in
Trinity Church, Newport
.
In 1996, Simpson was appointed Professor at the Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island.[6]
Published works
Books
- The Development of Naval Thought, essays by Herbert Rosinski; edited with an introduction by B. Mitchell Simpson III (1977).
- War, Strategy, and Maritime power, edited by B. Mitchell Simpson III. (1977).
- Sailors and Scholars: The Centennial History of the Naval War College by John B. Hattendorf, John R. Wadleigh, and B. Mitchell Simpson III (1984).
- Admiral Harold R. Stark: Architect of Victory 1939-1945 (1989).
- Rhode Island Civil and Appellate Procedure with Commentaries with Robert B. Kent, Hon. Robert G. Flanders, Jr., and David Wollen. (St. Paul: Thomson-West, 2006).
Articles
- "The Rearming of Germany 1950–1954: A Linchpin in the Political Evolution of Europe". Naval War College Review, (May 1971), pp. 76–90.
- "Current Strategic Theories". Naval War College Review, (May 1972), pp. 76–85.
- "Harold Raynsford Stark" in Robert W. Love, Jr., The Chiefs of Naval Operations I(Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1980).
- "The Essential Clausewitz". Naval War College Review, (March–April 1982), pp. 54–61.
- "The Open Meetings Law: Friend and Foe" 1996 [2]
- "A Fair Trial: Are Indigents Charged with Misdemeanors Entitled to Court-Appointed Counsel?" Roger Williams Law Review Spring 2000
- "Don't curse 'em, sue 'em! Cell PhoneUse While driving as Evidence of Negligence, Rhode Island Bar Journal vol. LVII (March–April 2009).
- contributor to An Introduction to Rhode Island Discovery Practice (MCLE/New England, 2010).
- "Treason and Terror: A Toxic Brew" (2018). Roger Williams University Law Faculty Scholarship. 216.[7]
Awards
- Rhode Island Bar Journal Lauren E. Jones Writing Award[8]
- Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Prize in Naval History[9]
Personal life
Simpson lived in Newport, Rhode Island with his wife of 51 years, Wilma, with whom he had two daughters, Fiona and Isla.[5][10]
References
- ^ Tufts University Library catalogue.
- ^ a b c "B. Mitchell Simpson, III | RWU Law". Law.rwu.edu. Archived from the original on 2015-01-18. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
- ^ Obituary, Newport Daily News, 15 May 2019
- ^ History of the Naval War College
- ^ a b Simpson, B. Mitchell (1989). Admiral Harold R. Stark: Architect of Victory 1939-1945. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press.
- ^ a b WorldCat record id: 46450987
- ^ Simpson, B. (January 2018). "Treason and Terror: A Toxic Brew". Law Faculty Scholarship.
- ^ "History of Rhode Island Bar Journal Lauren E. Jones Writing Award* Winners" (PDF). ribar.com.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-18. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "B. Mitchell Simpson III Obituary (2019) Newport Daily News". Legacy.com.