King (DLG 10) - Naval Cruise Book

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TO ALL THE KINGS MEN WHO MAKE THIS SHIP THE FINEST DLG IN THE NAVY ' r USS KING

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FLEET ADMIRAL ERNEST J. KING NITED STATES NAVY, DECEASED ERNEST JOSEPH KING WAS BORN IN LORAIN, OHIO, ON NOVEMBER 23, 1878, SON OF JAMES C. AND ELIZABETH KEAN KING. HE ATTENDED LORAIN HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE HIS APPOINTMENT IN 1897 TO THE U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND. IN JULY AND AUGUST 1898, DURING THE SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR , HE SERVED IN THE GRADE OF NAVAL CADET IN THE USS SAN FRANCISCO, FLAGSH IP OF THE NORTHERN PATROL SQUADRON . GRADUATED WITH DISTINCTION IN THE CLASS OF 19C1 , HE SERVED TWO YEARS AT SEA, THEN REQUIRED BY LAW BEFORE COMMISSIONING, AND WAS COMMISSIONED ENSIGN TO RANK FROM JUNE 7, 1903. AFTER GRADUATION FROM THE NAVAL ACADEMY IN 1901, HE SERVED SUCCESSIVELY IN THE USS EAGLE, THE USS CINCINNATI, A protected cruiser and in the USS ILLINOIS, flagship of THE EUROPEAN SQUARDRON , REJOINING THE CINCINNATI IN JANUARY 1903. IN AUGUST OF 1903 HE RE- PORTED TO THE USS ALABAMA, flagship of the second DIVISION ATLANTIC FLEET. ON DUTY ATTHE NAVALACADEMY FROM SEPTEMBER 1 906 UNTIL JUNE 1909, HE SERVED FOR TWO YEARS AS INSTRUCTOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ORDNANCE AND GUNNERY , AND ONE YEAR ON THE EXECUTIVE STAFF. HE NEXT SERVED AS AIDE ON THE STAFF OF COMMANDER, SECOND DIVISION, ATLANTIC FLEET AND IN MARCH 1910WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE USS NEW HAMPSHIRE, WITH DUTY AS FIRST ASSISTANT TO THESENIOR ENGINEER OFFICER, AND FROM AUGUST 1910 SERVED AS SENIOR ENGINEER OFFICER. FROM JUNE 191 1 UNTIL JUNE 1912 HE HAD DUTY AS AIDE AND FLAG SECRETARY ON THE STAFF OF COMMANDER IN CHIEF, U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET. FROM JUNE 1912 UNTIL APRIL 1914HEH AD SHORE DUTY AT THE ENGINEERING EXPERIMENTAL STATION , ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND. UPON DETACHMENT HE REPORTED TO THE DESTROYER TERRY FOR HIS FIRST COMMAND. ON JULY 18, 1 914 HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO COM MAN D OF THE USS CASS IN , AND ON AUGUST 1 WASASSIGNEDADDDITIONALDUTYAS AIDE TO COMMANDER TORPEDO FLOTILLA, ATLANTIC FLEET, WITH HIS PENNANT IN THE CASSIN. DURING THE WORLD WAR 1 PERIOD, HE CONTINUED STAFF DUTY AS A IDE AN D SQUADRON ENGINEER OFFICER IN THE FLAGSH I P AR K ANS AS , AND LATER THE USS WYOMING AND USS PENNSYLVANIA. HE WAS AWARDED THE NAVY CROSS FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN THE LINE OF HIS PROFESSION AS ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, U. S. ATLANTIC FLEET. IN THE RANK OF CAPTAIN, ADMIRAL KING SERVED AS HEAD OF THE POSTGRADUATE DEPARTMENT, U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY, FROM MAY 1919 UNTIL JULY 1921 , AND THE SUCCEEDING YEAR COMMANDED THE USS BRIDGE. IN JULY 1922 HE REPORTED FRO DUTY ON THE STAFF OF COMMANDER, SUBMARINE FLOTILLAS , ATLANTIC FLEET , AND ON NOVEMBER 20 , 1 922 ASSUMED COMMAND OF SUBMARINE DIVISION ELEVEN, WITH ADDITIONAL DUTY FROM APRIL 1923 AS COMMANDER, SUBMARINE DIVISION THREE. FROM SEPTEMBER 1 923 UNTI L JULY 1 926 HE HAD COMMAND OF THE SUBMARINE BASE, NEW LONDON , CONNECTI- CUT, AND SUBMARINES BASED AT NEW LONDON, AND ALSO SERVED AS NAVAL INSPECTOR OF ORDANCE IN CHARGE, NAVY MINE DEPOT, NEW LONDON, DURI NG THAT TOUR OF DUTY HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE SALVAGE OF THE USS S-51 WHICH WAS SUNK OFF BLOCK ISLAND , SEPTEMBER 25 , 1 92 5 . HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL FOR EXCEPTIONALLY MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN A DUTY OF GREAT RESPON- IBILITY AS OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE SALVAGING OF THE. USS S-51 . ON JULY 28, 1926 HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT TENDER WRIGHT, WITH ADDITIONAL DUTY AS SENIOR AIDE ON THE STAFF OFCOMMANDER , AIRCRAFT SQUADRONS , SCOUTING FLEET , DETACHED IN JANUARY 1 927 , HE REPORTED TOTHE NAVALAIR STATION, PENSACOLA , FLORIDA, FOR FLIGHT TRA IN ING AND WAS DESIGNATED NAVAL AVIATOR NO. 3368 ON MAY 26, 1927, HE REJOINED THE WRIGHT IN JUNE 1927 TO SERVE AS h£R COMMANDING OFFICER UNTIL JUNE 1928. Vi HENTHE USS S 4 WAS SUNK OFF