Dudley Newcomb Carpenter Dudley Newcomb Carpenter ( June 28 , 1874 – March 26 , 1955 ) was a United States Navy officer and physician who participated in the Spanish - American War of 1898 , and served through World War I and World War II . He established the first hospitals at Baguio , Philippines , Bas Obispo , Mexico and at Bremerton , Washington . He was also a writer . Family . Carpenter was fifth child and third son of Rear Admiral Charles Carroll Carpenter ( 1834 – 1899 ) and his wife Anna Brown ( 1842 – 19 ? ? ) . He was a descendant of the English immigrant William Carpenter who settled in Rehoboth , Massachusetts in 1644 . Carpenter was born in Kittery , Maine on June 28 , 1874 and died in Bremerton , Washington on March 26 , 1955 . He was named after his paternal grandfather . He is buried in the United States Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis , Maryland . School . Carpenter attended Harvard University and Harvard Medical School graduating with a medical degree in 1896 . Then Carpenter then volunteered joining the U . S . Navy as an assistant surgeon . Career . Carpenter was commissioned as a Lieutenant , JG and assigned to the USS " Raleigh " , a United States Navy protected cruiser , as an assistant surgeon . The USS " Raleigh " had just finished an overhaul at Norfolk and on May 6 , 1897 , she steamed eastward . Carpenter with the ship reported for duty on the European Station at Smyrna ( now Izmir ) on the Aegean Sea on June 7 , 1897 . In July , Carpenter and the officers and men participated in a good - will tour of Moroccan ports . By August , they were off Italy , then returned to the western Mediterranean . During this time period Carpenter learned military deportment and social skills . Through December , the ship operated off the Levant and toward the end of the month transited the Suez Canal en route to the Asiatic Station . On 18 February 1898 , she reached Hong Kong where she joined Commodore James Dewey ' s Asiatic squadron . Spanish - American War . On 26 April 1898 , the US Congress declared war against Spain . On April 27 the squadron got underway for Manila . Three days later , they passed El Fraile Island and was fired on by an enemy battery . With and , she returned the fire , then moved toward Cavite to engage the Spanish fleet . Carpenter ' s battle station was admidships in the enlisted mess room . Carpenter ' s journal during this time period confuses some of the Spanish ships engaged and events . This indicates they were written soon after the battle . Carpenter wrote that the officers and crew saw the coming action as a " festive occasion , from their jokes and general good spirits . " In a letter home to his mother , Carpenter reports he saw flashes of gunfire from Spanish guns and heard the " shrill , curdling whirr " of incoming shells . He also reported that his ship was lucky and injuries very minor during the action . Carpenter also says he rescued four firemen from heat exhaustion after they collapsed in the boiler room of the ship . On May 1 , 1898 the American ships were steaming in column and the American squadron ran by the Spanish , firing at close range . Two hours later , five cross runs had been completed , and the Spanish fleet had been destroyed . Shore batteries became the targets . Just before noon on 1 May , USS " Raleigh " joined , " Boston " , and in silencing the navy yard and arsenal batteries . On 2 May , she sent officers ashore , including Lt . Carpenter , to demand the surrender of Corregidor and , on the 3rd , sent men to disable the batteries there and destroy the munitions . In the late afternoon , shore parties were sent to Palo Caballo for the same purpose . The ship then took up picket and patrol duties , capturing the gunboat on the 12th . In July , the USS " Raleigh " shifted from Manila Bay to Subic Bay . On the 7th , she shelled Spanish positions on Grande Island until they surrendered ; she then sent garrison troops ashore . On the 10th , she returned to Manila , where she remained until after the Spanish surrendered the city in mid - August . Of the Spanish , Carpenter says they demonstrated admirable courage and possessed excellent weapons , but " they could not shoot straight " with them . A special military decoration , the Battle of Manila Bay Medal ( commonly called the Dewey Medal ) , was struck in honor of Dewey ' s victory at Manila Bay and awarded to every officer , Sailor and Marine present at the battle , including Dr . Carpenter . The medals were designed by Daniel Chester French and were produced by Tiffany ' s . Each medal was engraved with the recipient ' s ship , name and rank . Carpenter was transferred to the USS " Olympia " by June 1 , 1898 when a group picture is taken of him with Rear Admiral George Dewey and other officers on the flagship . Carpenter was aboard the USS " Olympia " when she returned to the Chinese coast on 20 May 1899 . She remained there until the following month , when she departed for the U . S . , via the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea . The ship arrived in Boston on 10 October . Following the return of " Olympia " to the U . S . , her officers and crews were feted and she was herself repainted and adorned with a gilded bow ornament . On 9 November , " Olympia " was decommissioned and placed in reserve . On April 17 , 1900 , Carpenter wed Miss Sylvia Caesar , grand - niece to Cornelius Vanderbilt at St . James ' Episcopal Church in New York City . Carpenter was cited as : " One of the finest looking , most sociable and brightest officers of his grade in the Navy . " Later career . Carpenter decided to stay in the Navy after the war and was nominated and later confirmed after October 24 , 1899 by President William McKinley during executive proceedings to the Senate . In his Military Order of Foreign War notation , he is also listed as serving on the USS " Callao " probably as part of the prize crew on the former Spanish gunboat " Callao " in February 1899 . " During World War I , Carpenter was awarded the Navy Cross while in Ireland . " The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain ( MC ) Dudley Newcomb Carpenter , United States Navy , for distinguished service in the line of his profession in establishing and maintaining Naval Base Hospital No . 4 at Queenstown , Ireland . " Action Date : World War I Service : Navy Rank : Captain Division : Naval Base Hospital No . 4 ( Queenstown , Ireland ) Carpenters later career is murky . What is known is documented via his journals and brief biographies . Dr . Carpenter helped establish the first hospitals at Baguio , Philippines and Bas Obispo , Mexico . He established a hospital out of a medical clinic at Bremerton , Washington . He served as the Reserve Fleet surgeon prior to and after World War I . He commanded the Division of Planning and Publication at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery from 1923 to 1927 . He also headed the medical department at the U . S . Naval Academy per the obit of his son , Donald . Carpenter then retired from active service , but the exact date is not known . As is his activities there after . During World War II , he was recalled to duty and sat on the Medical Examining and Retiring Board until 1946 . Writings . Carpenter apparently wrote pieces for the Naval Medical Bulletin . Two have been found entitled " Visit to the Chefoo , China , School for the Deaf , " noted in the Association Review 9 ( 1907 ) : 359 - 362 ; and " Gunshot Wounds as Seen in the Philippines , " Medical News ( 6 August 1898 ) : 174 - 176 . Another is entitled : Duties of the Medical Department at " General Quarters . "