United States naval officer
William Michael Crose
(February 8, 1867 ? April 4, 1929) was a
United States Navy
Captain
and the seventh
Naval Governor of American Samoa
, from November 10, 1910 to March 14, 1913. He was the first person designated "Governor of
American Samoa
", rather than the previous "Governor of
Tutuila
".
[1]
Life and career
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]
Early life
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]
Crose was born in
Greencastle, Indiana
on February 8, 1867.
[2]
He was appointed to the
United States Naval Academy
on May 19, 1884 and graduated in 1888.
[3]
Naval career
[
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The
United States Department of the Navy
awarded Crose the
Navy Cross
for "exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding Officer of the
U.S.S. NORTH DAKOTA
in the Atlantic Fleet, during
World War I
."
[4]
On July 1, 1890, Crose was commissioned into the United States Navy as an
ensign
. On May 10, 1898, he became a
lieutenant (junior grade)
, and a
lieutenant
on March 3, 1898. He was stationed on
USS
Galena
in 1888,
USS
Marion
in 1890, the Naval
Hydrographic office
in 1894,
USS
Pinta
in 1895,
USS
Wheeling
the same year, the
Bureau of Equipment
in 1898, and
USS
Kentucky
in 1900.
[3]
Governorship
[
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]
On November 10, 1910, Crose relieved
Captain
John Frederick Parker
of command of
United States Naval Station Tutuila
, becoming the seventh Naval Governor of American Samoa.
[2]
While Governor, Crose appointed a board of education, composed of a naval chaplain, a naval assistant surgeon, and the wife of a local school teacher.
[2]
He also pushed for the renaming of the island Naval Post, claiming the name Tutuila was inadequate, as the territory contained additional islands other than Tutuila, and recommending a new name of either "American Samoa" or "Eastern Samoa", a wish he expressed to the
Secretary of the Navy
in a 1911 letter. On July 17, 1911, the island was officially designated "
American Samoa
", and President of the United States
William Howard Taft
recommissioned Crose as "Governor of American Samoa", rather than "Governor of Tutuila" on October 24, 1912.
[2]
Crose also amended laws on firearms,
perjury
, road maintenance, and importation of animals. On March 14, 1913, Crose transferred command to
Nathan Woodworth Post
.
[2]
Post-governorship
[
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]
Crose died in San Diego on April 4, 1929, and was buried at sea.
Notes
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]
- ^
Government of American Samoa (2008), 2.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Government of American Samoa (2009).
- ^
a
b
Hamersly (1902), 307.
- ^
Military Times (2009).
References
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| Civil
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| Elected
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| International
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