Samuel Robison Admiral Samuel Shelburne Robison CB , USN ( May 10 , 1867 - November 20 , 1952 ) was a United States Navy officer whose service extended from the 1890s through the early 1930s . He held several major commands during World War I , and from 1928 - 1931 served as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy . In 1933 , Admiral Robison also founded a Naval Preparatory Academy in Pine Beach , New Jersey called Admiral Farragut Academy . Early life and career . Robison was born on May 10 , 1867 in Juniata County , Pennsylvania He entered the United States Naval Academy on September 4 , 1884 . After finishing his academic studies at Annapolis he served the two years at sea as a Passed Naval Cadet in " USS Omaha " on the Asiatic Station and was commissioned ensign July 1 , 1890 . In 1891 he was transferred to " USS Boston " , still on the Asiatic Station ; and , from 1893 , he served in " USS Thetis " until ordered to the Mare Island Navy Yard in 1895 . In 1896 he returned to the Asiatic Station in " Boston " . In August 1899 he was assigned to the League Island Navy Yard , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . He joined " Alabama " ( BB - 8 ) September 15 , 1900 , and two years later was transferred to " Hull " ( DD - 7 ) , a torpedo boat destroyer . From September 1904 to July 1906 , he served with the Bureau of Equipment at Washington , D . C . , then he returned to sea , serving first in " Tennessee " ( CA - 10 ) and later in " Pennsylvania " ( ACR - 4 ) . After a tour of duty in the Bureau of Engineering , he assumed command of " Cincinnati " ( C - 7 ) , a unit of the Asiatic Fleet , on October 25 , 1911 . Upon his return to the United States in April 1914 , he became commanding officer of USS Jupiter ( AC - 3 ) . He held the rank of captain from July 1 , 1914 , and he remained with " Jupiter " until August 8 . World War I service . On October 12 , 1915 he assumed command of and held that post until after the United States entered World War I . From July 1917 until September 1918 , he commanded the Atlantic Submarine Force with additional duty as General Supervisor of all commissioned submarines in the Navy . For this duty he was awarded the Navy Cross . He was also made an Honorary Companion of the Order of the Bath for service to the British during the war . In October 1918 he assumed command of Squadron 3 , Patrol Force , and during the next month had additional duty as District Commander , Brest , France . In November , he was appointed U . S . Naval Representative on the Commission for executing the Naval Terms of the Armistice with Germany . After his return to the United States in March 1919 , he commanded the Boston Navy Yard . In May 1921 , he was sent to the Dominican Republic as Military Governor , serving until October 1922 , when the Dominican Republic was turned back over to civilian control . Post - war service and retirement . A member of the General Board of the Navy from December 1922 until June 1923 , he was appointed Commander in Chief , Battle Fleet , with the rank of admiral , from June 30 , 1923 . With USS " Seattle " ( ACR - 11 ) as his flagship , he commanded the United States Fleet during the year commencing August 1925 . He then became Commandant of the 13th Naval District with the permanent rank of rear admiral . From June 1928 until his retirement in June 1931 , he served as Superintendent of the Naval Academy . For a number of years after his retirement , Admiral Robison was Superintendent of the Admiral Farragut Academy , Toms River . He died in Glendale , California , on November 20 , 1952 . See also . List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy