William P . Cronan William Pigott Cronan ( March 6 , 1879 – March 18 , 1929 ) was a United States Navy Captain who served as the 19th Naval Governor of Guam . During his tenure in the Navy , he became decorated , commanded a number of ships , and came to be known as " the most popular man in the Navy " . He participated in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish – American War . In 1903 , he gained some attention for his participation in the rescue of a Venezuelan fisherman off the coast of La Guaira under bad conditions . Both the Venezuelan government and navy command praised him for the way he carried out the operation . He became a national news story in 1907 while serving aboard the USS " Connecticut " during a training operation . When a gun nearly exploded because of leaking powder ; he shoved his hand into the gun ' s breechblock , preventing the explosion and losing two of his fingers in the process . He served as the first commanding officer of the USS " Monaghan " in 1911 . He would later command the Atlantic Fleet Torpedo Flotilla Fifth Fleet from the flagship USS " Jouett " . During World War I , he first commanded the USS " Supply " and captured German Corvette Captain Adalbert Zuckschwerdt off the coast of Guam . He also commanded the U . S . S . " Komingin der Nederlanden " during the war , for which he received the Navy Cross . The house he owned with wife Nellie Grant Cronan , granddaughter of President Ulysses S . Grant , is now an historical site in San Diego . He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Life . Cronan was born on March 6 , 1879 to Patrick J . Cronan in New Haven , Connecticut . His uncle , James P . Pigott , served in the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut . Cronan was an officer in the New York Yacht Club . He married Nellie Grant , daughter of Jesse Root Grant and granddaughter of President Ulysses S . Grant , in 1913 . They had two daughters : Nellie Grant Cronan and Elizabeth Grant Cronan . Nellie was born in Tokyo and married United States Army Captain Franklin Gibney Rothwell in 1942 . From 1923 until his death in 1929 Cronan lived in San Diego , California , in the William and Nell Cronan House , now considered an historical resource by the city . During his time in the Navy , he was known as " the most popular man in the Navy " . He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Naval career . Cronan graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1898 . While still a naval cadet he served aboard the USS " Marblehead " . Upon graduation , he participated in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba of the Spanish – American War aboard the USS " Brooklyn " . He also served aboard the USS " Iowa " as an ensign . He subsequently served aboard the USS " Don Juan de Austria " , leaving the ship in 1901 . In 1903 , while serving aboard the USS " Marietta " , Cronan and eight enlisted men rescued a Venezuelan fisherman off the coast of La Guaira under dangerous conditions , for which he received praise from the Venezuelan government and his superior officers . He also served with the Judge Advocate General ' s Corps , U . S . Navy . In 1907 , he gained some fame for an incident aboard the USS " Connecticut " during a target practice exercise . Believing an explosion imminent within the breechblock of one of the ship ' s guns , Cronan shoved his hand within the block to prevent its closing . He prevented any explosion and lost two fingers of his right hand in the process . In 1911 , Cronan became the first commanding officer of the USS " Monaghan " as a lieutenant commander . During his time in command , the ship struck a naval pier at full speed and took several hours to get loose . In 1913 he became the commander of the newly formed Atlantic Fleet Torpedo Flotilla Fifth Fleet and also commanded his flagship USS " Jouett " . Cronan served in World War I as the commanding officer of the U . S . S . " Komingin der Nederlanden " , a transport ship , for which he received the Navy Cross . He retired as a Captain on October 4 , 1923 . Governorship . Cronan served as acting Naval Governor of Guam from April 29 , 1916 to May 8 , 1916 . As the ranking officer present , he took command from outgoing governor William John Maxwell pending the arrival of appointee Roy Campbell Smith . Cronan remained in Guam after his tenure as governor as commander of the USS " Supply " . He captured German Corvette Captain Adalbert Zuckschwerdt after he exploded the SMS " Cormoran " rather than allow her to be captured in Apra Harbor during World War I . He reportedly greeted Zuckschwerdt with the accolade " Sir , you are a brave man . "