Walter S. Crosley

Walter Selwyn Crosley
Baltimore, Maryland
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1893–1935
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	USS Algonquin USS Leyden USS Truxton USS Scorpion USS Prairie Ninth Naval District Naval Station Great Lakes Battleship Division 3, Battle Force Fifteenth Naval District Naval Station, Balboa, Canal Zone
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War Battle of Nipe Bay Battle of Fajardo Navy Cross

Walter Selwyn Crosley (30 October 1871 – 6 January 1939) was an

, to date from February 17, 1927, and was transferred to the Retired List in that rank on November 1, 1935.

Biography

Walter Selwyn Crosley was born in East

with the purpose of dissuading the strikers so that trains might proceed without altercation.

Sino-Japanese War

Crossing the

.

Spanish American War

Cuban Campaign

During the Spanish–American War he was advanced two numbers in rank for eminent and conspicuous conduct on July 21, 1898, during the Battle of Nipe Bay. Commanding Leyden, part of a squadron that included the USS Annapolis, USS Topeka and USS Wasp. Crosley took the lead in crossing a minefield in the dangerous, narrow channel. On entering under musketry fire from shore, together with Wasp, they discovered the Spanish gunboat Jorge Juan and engaged in a heated action until the remaining ships of the squadron arrived, at which time the enemy vessel was abandoned and sunk.

Puerto Rican Campaign

Two weeks later, at the

Philippine Insurrection

On September 12, 1898, Crosley reported to the training ship

Philippine Islands

, he was wounded when "a spent ball" struck his leg.

Inter-war years

In December 1899, he transferred to the

.

Promoted to

in April 1912, he returned to Washington, where he again served on the General Board of the Navy Department.

Haitian and Dominican Campaigns

In July 1914 he was detached to the

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

during the American occupations, where Captain Crosley received fleeing foreign residents aboard his ship and landed forces that occupied the West Indies islands.

World War I

After being detached from

.

Navy Cross

In 1920, Captain Crosley was awarded the Navy Cross for his Russian diplomatic service in World War I. His citation reads, "For distinguished service in the line of his profession as Naval Attaché at Petrograd, and for conducting a party of Americans out of Russia in April 1918, under difficult and trying conditions."

Postwar service

In December 1918, he reported to the Office of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department, and on January 26, 1919, assumed command of the

, with additional duty as commandant of the Naval Station and Naval Operating Base, Key West, and remained there until May 1923.

After duty afloat in command of the USS Idaho from June 11, 1923, until June 1925, he served as hydrographer, Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, from June 29, 1925, until July 1927. As such he represented the United States in Monaco at the International Hydrographic Conference, arriving October 22, 1926, There he was elected by the delegates of twenty-three countries represented to preside over the conference. During his tour of duty as hydrographer, he also served as a member of the United States Geographic Board. After his promotion to rear admiral in January 1927 (to rank from February 17, 1927) he was ordered to command Train Squadron ONE, Scouting Fleet Base Force, and remained in that command from August 1, 1927, until June 29, 1929. He again represented the United States as a delegate to the International Hydrographic Conference meeting in the Principality of Monaco on April 1, 1929, and upon his return had further temporary duty at the Hydrographic Office, Navy Department, before resuming command of Train Squadron ONE, his flag in the USS Antares.

On July 1, 1929, Rear Admiral Crosley reported as commandant of the

. He served two years in that assignment, then had duty in July and August 1935 as a member of the General Board, Navy Department.

Rear Admiral Crosley was transferred to the Retired List of the U.S. Navy on November 1, 1935, and was relieved of all active duty, having reached the statutory retirement age of sixty-four years. He received a commendatory letter from the

, as follows: "The Department regrets your retirement from active service and takes this occasion to extend to you its heartiest congratulations and appreciation for your long and distinguished service to our Nation. During the time which you have so faithfully and efficiently served, you have witnessed many advancements in the morale, strength and efficiency of the navy; and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have contributed to the accomplishment of these results. . . ."

Retirement

After his retirement, Admiral Crosley was elected president director of the International Hydrographic Bureau at

.

Admiral Crosley was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Family

In 1895, Ensign Crosley married Pauline de Lannay Stewart (1871–1955) of Columbus, Georgia. They had two sons, Floyd Stewart Crosley (1897–1979) and Paul Cunningham Crosley (1902–1997). Both Crosley's sons graduated from the Naval Academy Classes of 1919 and 1925, respectively, and both retired as navy captains. In 1921, Lieutenant Floyd Crosley was seriously injured while serving as engineering officer on the USS Kennedy (DD-306) when a boiler gauge exploded during a full-power trial run. Called to the fire-room by a report that a boiler had lost water, he reached there in time to receive the full force of the exploding glass that caused the loss of his right eye. He retired in 1926 but returned to active duty in October 1942 during World War II and served as a commander for the duration. His younger brother, Paul Crosley, served more than thirty years active duty in the navy, through World War II and the Korean War.

Awards and decorations

In addition to the Navy Cross, Rear Admiral Crosley received the following medals:

, conferred by the Italian Government.

1st Row	Navy Cross
2nd Row	Sampson Medal				Spanish Campaign Medal				Philippine Campaign Medal
3rd Row	Haitian Campaign Medal				Dominican Campaign Medal				World War I Victory Medal with Overseas Clasp
4th Row	Haiti, Medal of Honor and Merit				Chinese Order of Wen-Hu, 2nd Class				Italy, Commander of Order of the Iron Crown

Namesake ship

Mrs. Walter S. Crosley was Sponsor for the

.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.