Dwight Agnew

Dwight Merle Agnew (January 1, 1902 – October 4, 1969) was a United States Navy officer from Fredericktown, Ohio. A destroyer commander during World War II, he was present during the attack on Pearl Harbor and later received the Navy Cross for his tactical acumen during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Post-war, he led Destroyer Squadron 10 and later worked at the National Security Agency. In 1956, he was moved to the Retired List and made a "tombstone admiral".

Agnew married Thelma Marie Biegler, the daughter of United States Army officer and Medal of Honor recipient George W. Biegler.

Early life and education

Dwight Agnew was born in Fredericktown, Ohio, on January 1, 1902, to Murray Agnew and Emma Louise Agnew (née Follin).^[1] After graduating from Fredericktown High School he briefly attended Denison University before entering the United States Naval Academy.^[1] He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1926 and was commissioned an ensign.^[1]

Career

Pre-War

Prior to World War II, Agnew held a variety of shipboard postings, serving aboard USS Gamble, USS Omaha, and USS Nevada.^[1] During his time on Nevada, its number four gun turret crew – under his leadership – won the Trenchard Medal for excellence in gunnery.^[1]

Attack on Pearl Harbor

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, most of the Agnew family – Dwight, his brother Henry, and both of their sisters and brothers-in-law (the latter who were also Navy officers) – were stationed in Hawaii.^[2] During this time, Agnew was serving as commanding officer of USS Trever, a destroyer minesweeper.^[1]

Like many American ship captains, Agnew was not aboard his vessel when the attack began at 0755 on December 7. Under command of junior officers, USS Trever sounded a General Alarm at 0757 and began returning fire against Japanese forces seven minutes later, successfully downing an Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service aircraft strafing the Pearl City Yacht Club as well as a second aircraft that was maneuvering to attack the ship. Frantic orders to sortie the fleet resulted in Agnew being left behind aboard USS Wasmuth, Trever instead putting to sea with the commander of USS Henley at her helm. Following the attack, Wasmuth rendezvoused with Trever and Agnew rejoined his ship. Trever's depth charges had already been armed and set, and Agnew ordered a magnetic sweep of the harbor before taking up a defensive station at the harbor's mouth to protect it from a feared second wave attack that did not materialize.^[3][4]

The following week, on December 14, Agnew led the Trever in the rescue of the crew and passengers of the torpedoed Norwegian freighter MS Høegh Merchant. The Høegh Merchant had been sunk by a Japanese submarine while attempting to navigate to a safe port following the outbreak of hostilities.^[5]

World War II

In August 1942 Agnew was promoted to Captain.

In October 1929, Agnew married Thelma Marie Biegler, the daughter of Army officer George W. Biegler.^[6] Following the outbreak of World War II, Thelma Agnew and her son Dwight Agnew Jr, were evacuated to San Diego to stay with Dwight Agnew's mother, who was then living in the city.^[7]

Agnew's brother, Henry, was also an alumnus of the U.S. Naval Academy; he was an instructor at the academy and also held several shipboard assignments during World War II before being given command of USS Oglethorpe in the post-war period.^[8] His sisters were Dorothy and Elizabeth, both of whom married naval officers.^[9][10][11]

References