George C. Day Rear – Admiral, United States Navy

George C. Day was a United States Navy Rear Admiral, whose career lasted from the 1890s until the mid-1930s.

Born in 1871, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1892, was promoted Ensign in 1894, Lieutenant (junior grade) in 1899, and Lieutenant in 1901. He was Executive Officer of USS Hancock, 1907 – 1907. From 1907-1909, in the rank of Lieutenant Commander, he served as Navigator of the Flagship Connecticut and ex-officio Fleet Navigator during the ’round the world cruise of the Great White Fleet.

He commanded USS Preston, 1909 – 1910, and Division 7 of the Torpedo Squadron, Atlantic Fleet, 1910 – 1911. He was in charge of the Navy Publicity Bureau in New York City, 1911 – 1913, was Executive Officer of USS New York, 1914 – 1915, and commanded USS Brooklyn, 1915 – 1916.

By 1917 he was the Head of the Department of Compasses, Nautical Instruments, and Time Service at the Naval Observatory. During World War One, in the rank of Captain, he commanded the troop transport USS America, formerly the German liner Amerika, and was awarded the Navy Cross for this service. He commanded USS Montana, 1918 – 1919 and USS Pennsylvania, 1920 – 1921, and was Commander, Submarines, Pacific, 1923 – 1925. Promoted to Rear Admiral in 1925, he served first as Commandant of the 15th Naval District, and was Commander of Cruiser Division 4, 1927-1928. He was President of the Board of Inspection and Survey in 1929, was a member of the General Board in 1930 and again was President of the Board of Inspection and Survey from 1931 until his retirement in 1935.

Day, George Calvin
Captain, U.S. Navy
Commanding Officer, U.S.S. America & U.S.S. Montanan
Date Of Action: World War I

Citation:

The Navy Cross is awarded to Captain George Calvin Day, U.S. Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as commanding officer of the U.S.S. America and the U.S.S. Montanan, engaged in the important, exacting and hazardous duty of transporting and escorting troops and supplies to European ports through waters infested with enemy submarines and mines.

DAY, GEORGE C
R/ADM USN RETIRED
DATE OF DEATH: 11/03/1940
BURIED AT: SECTION D  SITE 5837 EHALF
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard