page_title: Thomas B. Howard
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: Thomas B. Howard / Career
caption_attribution_description: English: 1915 San Diego Fair with the Vice President and Assistant Secretary of the Navy in attendance
context_page_description: Thomas Benton Howard was a United States Navy officer who served as commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet prior to United States' entry into World War I.
context_section_description: As a cadet in the academy, Howard was often, by special invitation, a guest at the White House, and was usually appointed Grant's aide whenever the President visited Annapolis. Howard graduated at the top of his class in 1873 and was promoted to ensign in 1874. During his career he served under George Dewey at the Battle of Manila Bay and successively commanded Chesapeake, Nevada, Olympia, Tennessee, and Ohio. As captain of Ohio, he sailed around the world with the Great White Fleet in 1908–1909.
  In January 1914, Howard was appointed commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The same year, during the Mexican Revolution, Howard commanded a squadron of American vessels in the Gulf of California. Their mission was to observe the Topolobampo naval campaign. Three of Howard's warships were present at the Fourth Battle of Topolobampo. When the Marines established camp for the second time on San Diego's North Island, they named it Camp Howard, in his honor. In 1915, he became the fifth full admiral in the history of the U.S. Navy when the three commanders in chief of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Asiatic Fleets were each advanced to the temporary rank of full admiral. Upon relinquishing command of the Pacific Fleet in September 1915, Howard reverted to his permanent rank of rear admiral.
caption: Howard with Franklin D. Roosevelt
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