Evening star., 1940-06-08

Admiral Rodman,
Veteran Of Two Wars
Dies Of Heart Ai|ment
Represented U. 5. Navy
At Coronation Of
King George VI


the Navy's most distinguished
officers, died last night in Naval
Hospital. He had been i'll almost a
year with heart ailment.
Admiral Rodman spent 81 of his
43 years of service at sea, fought in
two wars and four times was called
on to represent the Navy on special
diplomatic missions. He wore the
Distinguished Service Medal of his
own country and decorations be-
slowed by half dozen foreign
powers.
During the World War, he was in
command of the battleship force
which operated with the British
fleet. His last service was in 1887
when, although retired, he was
designated to represent the Navy at
the coronation of King George VI of
Great Britain.
Admiral Rodman leaves his wife,
the former Elizabeth Ruffin of
Frankfort, KY. During the past sew
eral years they nao made their home
at the Westmorelano Apartments,
2l22 California street NV.
Admiral Rodman was a personal
friend of President Roosevelt. Dur
ing his residence here, he and Mrs.
Rodman became well known soci-
ally. He was a member of the Chevy
Chase Country Club and of the
Army and Navy Club. For the last
several summers he had acted in an
advisory capacity to the naval unit
of the Culver School in Indiana.
Native of Kentucky.
The admiral was born at Frank
fort, January 6, 1859. He entered
the Naval Academy at II and was
graduated in 1880. AS junior
officer he served aboard the square
riggers and tin clads" of the old
fleet. Later he commanded a gum
boat division on the Yangtze River
in China and during the Philippine
nsurrection.
He was on board the Raleigh on
duty at Hongkong when war was
declared with Spain. He partici-
pated in the capture of the Philip
pine Islands. During the battle of
Manila Bay, the guns of his ship
were credited with putting the
Spanish crusier Castillo out of
action.
Admiral Rodman's tours of duty
ashore included a year and half
as superintendent of transportation
at the Panama Canal
Served on General Board.
In 1915 he was assigned to duty
with the Navy's General Board to
help prepare the Navy for war. When
this country entered the war he was
sent abroad in command of a divi-
sion of the Atlantic Fleet. He was
made commander of Division No.
Of the Battleship Force in 1917 and
the following year was elevated to
command the entire Battleship
Force cooperating with the British
feet.
After the war Admiral Rodman
was promoted to full admiral and
given command of the Pacific Fleet.
He took it through the Panama
Canal in a notable passage of 10
hours, piloted it through the Golden
Gate at San Francisco and assem-
bled it at Seattle for a review by
President Wilson in 1919.
His last command was ashore, as
nT
trict with headquarters at Hampton
Roads, Va. He was retired auto
matically at "a on January 6, 1922.
Went to Peru in 1921.
Admiral Rodman's diplomatic as
signments began with his appoint
ment as naval representative on the
mission which attended the centen-
nial Of Peru's independence in 1921
After his retirement he was called
on three times. In 1923 he accom-
panied President Harding on a trip
to Alaska. He was assigned to GO
with the Pacific Fleet to Australia
in 1925, and in 1887 President Roose-
velt sent him to the British corona
ton ceremonies.
He was awarded the Distinguished
Service Medal for his World War
service. He also held the Dewey
Medal for the action at Manila Bay,
and the Philippine Campaign Medal.
His decorations from foreign coun-
tries included the French Legion of
Honor, the Japanese Order of the
Rising Sun and the Grand Gordon
of Leopold II, conferred by King
Albert of Belgium. Voyages of good
will to South America brought him
the orders Of Ell Sol from Peru and
Ell Merite from Chile He was
made Knight Commander of the
Bath by Britain.