Luke McNamee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 21st President of the Naval War College | |
| In office June 3, 1933 – May 29, 1934 | |
| Preceded by | Harris Laning |
| Succeeded by | Edward C. Kalbfus |
| 21st Director of the Office of Naval Intelligence | |
| In office September 1921 – November 1923 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew T. Long |
| Succeeded by | Henry Hughes Hough |
| 12th Naval Governor of Guam | |
| In office October 3, 1907 – December 28, 1907 | |
| Preceded by | Templin Potts |
| Succeeded by | Edward John Dorn |
| 10th Naval Governor of Guam | |
| In office November 2, 1905 – December 3, 1906 | |
| Preceded by | George Leland Dyer |
| Succeeded by | Templin Potts |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1871-08-04)August 4, 1871 Mount Hope, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | December 30, 1952(1952-12-30) (aged 81) Newport, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Spouse | Dorothy Swinburne McNamee |
| Relatives | William T. Swinburne (father-in-law) |
| Awards | Navy Cross Legion of Honour |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War World War I |
Luke McNamee (April 4, 1871 – December 30, 1952)[1] was aUnited States NavyAdmiral, businessman, and the 10th and 12th NavalGovernor of Guam. He served in the navy for 42 years, during which time he held multiple commands. During theSpanish–American War, he earned theNavy Cross, and later theLegion of Honour.
Earlier on his career, he served as governor, and expanded funding for fighting the infectious diseases running through the native population. He represented the U.S. Navy as a delegate to theParis Peace Conference in 1919. He later becameDirector of the Office of Naval Intelligence. He was promoted tofull admiral after being placed in charge of theBattle Fleet. After this command, he served as president of theNaval War College before retiring in 1934. After leaving the navy, he became president and chairman of the Mackay Radio and Telegraph Company, where he aggressively expanded telegraph and radio service overseas.
McNamee had a 42-year career in theUnited States Navy. He was appointed to theUnited States Naval Academy fromKansas, graduating in 1892.[2] He was commissioned as anensign on July 1, 1894. He served two years aboard the training shipUSS Atlanta before being transferred to theUSS Essex, where he served from 1894 to 1898.[3] He became alieutenant junior grade on March 3, 1899, and alieutenant on July 1, 1900.[3] He served asexecutive officer of theUSS Princeton during theSpanish–American War.[2]
In 1901, he served aboard the battleshipUSS Oregon.[4] From 1905 to 1908, he was assigned to theGuam Naval Station, after which he served as the naval inspector toGeneral Electric works (inSchenectady, New York andMassachusetts) and thenavigator of theUSS Nevada.[2][4] After serving as the firstcommanding officer of theUSS Sacramento,[5] he was promoted tocaptain in 1917. While on theSacramento, he commanded all Navy forces in theGulf of Mexico, though this only consisted of seven gunboats.[6]
After his promotion, he served as chief of staff to the commander of theUnited States Pacific Fleet, and then to AdmiralWilliam Sims, commander of United States Naval forces inEurope.[2] In 1919, he was on the naval advisory board at theParis Peace Conference.[2]
In 1921, he served as commanding officer of theUSS Nevada and theUSS Tennessee in 1923. He served as director of theOffice of Naval Intelligence.[2] From 1924 to 1926, McNamee was appointedNaval attaché to theCourt of St. James's in theUnited Kingdom. During his time inLondon, he was promoted torear admiral.[2] In 1926, he commanded all theDestroyers in theBattle Fleet, before becoming director of fleet training. for the next four years. After being promoted tovice admiral, he returned to the Battle Fleet to command itsBattleship force, doing so from 1931 to 1932. In 1933, he achievedfull admiral and commanded the entireBattle Force.[2]
On June 3, 1933, he became president of theNaval War College.[7] He left the post on May 29, 1934, after retiring fromactive duty.[8] During his career, he was awarded theNavy Cross and the FrenchLegion of Honour.[2]
McNamee twice served as actinggovernor of Guam: first from November 2, 1905, to December 3, 1906, and again from October 3, 1907, to December 28, 1907.[9]
As governor, he urged theUnited States Secretary of the Navy to invest in the control ofleprosy and other infectious diseases on the island, arguing that this would be in the best interest of Navy finances, as it would protect paid personnel's productivity and the nativeChamorro population, a group the navy thought could provide cheap labor.[10]
After leaving the navy, McNamee became president of the Mackay Radio and Telegraph Company in 1934. He aggressively expanded the company by modernizing its overseas operations. He extended service on government and private vessels using the company's equipment as well.[2] In 1940, he led negotiations with labor unions after they shut down company operations, and was able to reach an agreement.[11]
On May 19, 1950, he becamechairman of theboard of directors. He also oversaw the opening of the first direct telegraph line toBermuda.[12] In May 1951, he resigned his position as director of both Mackay andInternational Telephone and Telegraph.[2]
After retiring, McNamee lived inNew York City. In 1948, he succeededHerbert Livingston Satterlee as chairman of the executive committee of the Marine Museum of the City of New York.[13]
Luke McNamee was born to Michael and Anne Amelia (née Garvey) McNamee inMount Hope, Wisconsin in 1871.
On October 22, 1903, at Saint Cecilia's Church inBoston, Massachusetts, McNamee married Dorothy Swinburne (born 1880,Erie County, Pennsylvania), the daughter of AdmiralWilliam T. Swinburne. The McNamees had no children.[14][15][16]
For much of his life, he lived inWisconsin, though he later moved toJamestown, Rhode Island.[4] He spent the last two years of his life as a patient of theNaval Station Newport Hospital inNewport, Rhode Island.[citation needed]
On December 30, 1952, McNamee died atNaval Station Newport Hospital at Newport, Rhode Island. McNamee is interred atArlington National Cemetery inArlington, Virginia. His widow, Dorothy, died on November 21, 1965 (aged 85) and was interred beside her husband in Arlington National Cemetery.[14][2][17]
Media related toLuke McNamee at Wikimedia Commons| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by | President of the Naval War College 3 June 1933–29 May 1934 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Naval Governor of Guam 1905–1906 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Naval Governor of Guam 1905–1906 | Succeeded by |
| Commissioner(1898–1899) |  | |
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| Naval(1899–1941) | ||
| Military(1944–1949) | ||
| Civilian(1949–1969) | ||
| Elected(since 1969) | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
