Louis McCoy Nulton | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Nulton,c. 1910–1915 | |
| Born | (1869-08-08)August 8, 1869 Winchester, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 1954(1954-11-10) (aged 85) Maysville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1889–1933 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands | Battle Fleet |
| Battles / wars |
|
| Awards | Navy Cross |
Louis McCoy Nulton (August 8, 1869 – November 10, 1954) was a four-staradmiral in theUnited States Navy who wassuperintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from 1925 to 1928 and commander of theBattle Fleet from 1929 to 1930.
He was born inWinchester, Virginia to Annie Clark and Colonel Joseph Nulton,[1] a prominent Virginian who commandedConfederate troops during theAmerican Civil War and subsequently commanded for many years theOld Second Virginia Regiment, National Guard.[2] Appointed to theU.S. Naval Academy in 1885 at the age of 16, he graduated seventh in the class of 1889 and served his initial sea duty as a passed cadet aboard the protected cruiserChicago.[3][4]
His early assignments included service aboard the battleshipTexas, followed by duty as executive officer of the auxiliary cruiserPanther, as ordnance officer of the battleshipOhio, and as executive officer of the battleshipWisconsin. He served two tours as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy and a third tour as commandant of midshipmen,[1] and compiled one of the technical dictionaries used at the Academy.[2]
His first command was the gunboatNashville in 1913, followed by the armored cruiserMontana.[1] In 1914, while commandingMontana, he led landing parties ashore during theUnited States occupation of Veracruz.[3] In 1918 he was given command of theAtlantic Fleet battleshipPennsylvania, and served asPennsylvania's captain when it escorted PresidentWoodrow Wilson to and from theParis Peace Conference.[2]
He became commandant of thePhiladelphia Navy Yard on September 22, 1920[5] and was promoted to rear admiral the following year.[6] In late 1921, he unsuccessfully tried to save the partially completed battlecruiserConstitution from being scrapped by accelerating its construction schedule using funds he had illegally transferred from the construction and repair of other vessels, and by lobbying forConstitution's conversion into an aircraft carrier.[7]
He was sent to sea in 1923 as commander of Battleship Division Three (New York,Texas,Oklahoma,Nevada).[6] He wassuperintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from February 1925 to June 1928.[3] In spring 1928, he was again ordered to sea as Commander Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet (COMBATDIVS), with the temporary rank of vice admiral, flying his three-star flag aboard the battleshipWest Virginia[2] from June 26, 1928, to May 20, 1929.[8]
He was promoted to the temporary rank of full admiral as Commander Battle Fleet (COMBATFLT) on May 21, 1929, succeeding AdmiralWilliam V. Pratt, who had been elevated to Commander in Chief,United States Fleet (CINCUS). As COMBATFLT, Nulton was the second most senior officer afloat, and selected the battleshipCalifornia as his new flagship as a compliment to that state.[2] On January 9, 1930, Pratt sailed from New York as a delegate to theLondon Naval Conference 1930, leaving Nulton to act in his stead from the date of Pratt's departure until his return in May 1930. As acting CINCUS, Nulton commanded the combined fleets during the winter maneuvers in the Caribbean.[6] Relieved by AdmiralFrank H. Schofield on May 24, 1930,[8] Nulton reverted to his permanent rank of rear admiral and was assigned as commandant of theFirst Naval District. He retired from the Navy on September 1, 1933, upon reaching the statutory retirement age.[1]
He married the former Minnie Clark Evans on September 5, 1895, and they had two daughters. In retirement, he and his wife resided in Winchester, Virginia from 1933 to 1946.[4] He died on November 11, 1954, at his home inMaysville, Kentucky,[3] and was buried in theU.S. Naval Academy Cemetery inAnnapolis, Maryland.[1]
His decorations include theNavy Cross, awarded for exceptionally meritorious service as commandant of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy and later as commanding officer ofPennsylvania.[9] As commander of the battleship divisions of the Pacific Fleet in 1929, he was commended in a letter from PresidentHerbert Hoover for "attain[ing] the highest merit in battle efficiency of any division of its class." A collection of Nulton family genealogical material and memorabilia from Nulton's naval career is archived at theHandley Regional Library in Winchester, Virginia.[4]
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| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Commander in Chief,Battle Fleet May 21, 1929–May 24, 1930 | Succeeded by |