Dudley Wright Knox Commodore Dudley Wright Knox ( 21 June 1877 – 11 June 1960 ) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Spanish - American War and World War I . He was also a prominent naval historian , who for many years oversaw the Navy Department ' s historical office , now named the Naval Historical Center . Early life . Born in Fort Walla Walla , Washington , Knox attended school in Washington , D . C . , and graduated from the United States Naval Academy on 5 June 1896 . Professional career . During the Spanish - American War , he served aboard the screw steamer " Maple " , a tender , in Cuban waters . He commanded the gunboat s and " Iris " during the Philippine - American War and the latter during the Chinese Boxer Rebellion . He then commanded three of the Navy ’ s first destroyers : " Shubrick " , " Wilkes " and " Decatur " before commanding the First Torpedo Flotilla . During the cruise of the “ Great White Fleet , ” sent around the world by President Theodore Roosevelt , he was ordnance officer of battleship " Nebraska " ( BB - 14 ) . He attended the Naval War College in 1912 - 13 , and after graduation became the aide to Captain William Sims , commanding the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla . In 1915 , Knox became a leading figure in developing naval operational doctrine by publishing an influential article in the U . S . Naval Institute " Proceedings " . He was Fleet Ordnance Officer in both Atlantic and Pacific , served in the Office of Naval Intelligence , and commanded the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station . In November 1917 , he joined the staff of Admiral William Sims , Commander of U . S . Naval Forces in European Waters , and earned the Navy Cross for “ distinguished service ” serving as Aide in the Planning Section , and later in the Historical Section . He was promoted to Captain on 1 February 1918 . After returning to the United States in March 1919 , he served for a year on the faculty of the Naval War College , when he was a key figure on the Knox - King - Pye Board that examined professional military education . In 1920 - 21 , he commanded the armored cruiser " Brooklyn " ( ACR - 3 ) , then the protected cruiser " Charleston " ( C - 22 ) before resuming duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations . In 1920 , Knox first began his work as a naval publicist , serving as naval editor of the " Army and Navy Journal " until 1923 . He became the naval correspondent of the Baltimore Sun in 1924 - 46 , and naval correspondent of the New York Herald Tribune in 1929 . Transferred to the Retired List of the Navy on 20 October 1921 , he continued on active duty , simultaneously serving as Officer in Charge , Office of Naval Records and Library , and as Curator for the Navy Department . Knox played a key role in creating the Naval Historical Foundation . Early in World War II , he was assigned additional duty as Deputy Director of Naval History . For a quarter of a century , his leadership inspired diligence , efficiency , and initiative while he guided , improved , and expanded the Navy ' s archival and historical operations . His personal connections to President Roosevelt , Fleet Admiral Ernest J . King , and other senior leaders in the Navy Department allowed him to play an instrumental role behind the scenes in the years leading up to and during World War II . His writings included his first book " The Eclipse of American Sea Power " ( 1922 ) and " A History of the United States Navy " ( 1936 ) , the latter recognized as " the best one - volume history of the United States Navy in existence . " Through his personal connection with President Roosevelt , he was able to publish key , multi - volume collections of documents on naval operations in The Quasi - War with France in 1798 - 1800 , the first Barbary war and the second Barbary War . Advanced to Commodore on 2 November 1945 , he was awarded the Legion of Merit for " exceptionally meritorious conduct " while directing the correlation and preservation of accurate records of the U . S . naval operations in World War II , thus protecting this vital information for posterity . Knox was relieved of all active duty 26 June 1946 . He died in Bethesda , Maryland , on 11 June 1960 . His papers in 24 boxes are in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress . The United States Navy ship USS Knox ( FF - 1052 ) was named for him . Decorations . Commodore Dudley Wright Knox´s ribbon bar : External links . Official U . S . Navy biography Commodore Dudley Knox