Louis R . de Steiguer Admiral Louis Rodolph de Steiguer ( March 18 , 1867 – April 20 , 1947 ) was an officer in the U . S . Navy . He was Commander - in - Chief of the U . S . Battle Fleet from 1927 to 1928 . Early career . Born in Athens , Ohio , on March 18 , 1867 , to Judge Rodolph de Steiguer and Mary Carpenter de Steiguer , he was descended from Judge Silvanus Ames , a prominent citizen of southern Ohio . He was appointed to the U . S . Naval Academy from Ohio in 1885 . Graduating in 1889 , he served his naval cadet cruise aboard the new steel cruiser , which sailed with the Squadron of Evolution to Europe , the Mediterranean and Brazil , before returning to New York in 1890 . He was commissioned ensign on July 1 , 1891 , and served in various assignments ashore and afloat , including tours aboard the and aboard the during the Spanish - American War . Promoted to lieutenant commander in 1905 , he was Supervisor of New York Harbor from December 9 , 1905 , to August 30 , 1906 ; was in charge of the Fifth Lighthouse District in 1911 ; commanded the through 1913 ; was acting commandant of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard from September 25 , 1914 , to January 4 , 1915 ; and commanded the battleship in 1916 . During World War I he served as chief of staff of the Third Naval District before reporting as captain of the battleship , which was stationed with the American dreadnought squadron operating with the British Grand Fleet . After the war , de Steiguer was Hydrographer of the Navy from July 1921 to December 1921 . Promoted to rear admiral , he was commander of the First Naval District , including the Portsmouth Navy Yard , from June 1923 to 1925 . Fleet command . In June 1925 , de Steiguer returned to sea as Commander Battleship Division Four ( COMBATDIV 4 ) , with flagship , and the following summer he was promoted to temporary vice admiral as Commander Battleship Divisions , Battle Fleet ( COMBATDIVS ) , with flagship . On September 10 , 1927 , de Steiguer assumed the temporary rank of full admiral as Commander in Chief Battle Fleet , United States Fleet , with the flagship . Following his tour as Battle Fleet commander , de Steiguer " fleeted down " to his permanent rank of rear admiral and served as commandant , Brooklyn Navy Yard from July 2 , 1928 , to March 18 , 1931 . He retired in 1932 . Legacy . He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his World War I service as chief of staff of the Third Naval District and as captain of the " Arkansas " . The oceanographic research ship is named for him . He became a member of the Ohio University chapter of Phi Delta Theta in 1887 . De Steiguer was a legendary disciplinarian and martinet . His flag secretary , future four - star admiral and chief of naval operations Robert B . Carney , described de Steiguer as a tremendously ambitious man with a " lousy disposition " . Captains of other ships in the division would consult Carney to gauge de Steiguer ' s mood before approaching him . Carney recalled his own association with de Steiguer as fraught with " constant pressure , irascibility , criticism , and unpleasantness " . Carney eventually marched into de Steiguer ' s cabin , snapped , " Admiral , I just want to tell you I think you are a goddamn rotten son of a bitch , " and stormed out . After failing to retrieve Carney via Marine orderly , de Steiguer visited Carney ' s cabin in person , said , " Sonny , you ' ve been working too hard . You and I are going ashore , " and took Carney on an epic drinking binge . Carney ultimately concluded that his three years with de Steiguer had been a valuable experience , but not one he would have chosen to repeat . De Steiguer died in Washington D . C . on April 20 , 1947 . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife , the former Katherine Constable . He had no children . His funeral instructions made two requests of his former flag secretary : that Carney lead the funeral cortege , and that he have de Steiguer buried with his hindquarters facing the Pentagon . Carney honored both requests .