DeWitt Coffman was a United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 admiral. He served in the Spanish–American War and World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

.

Life and career

Coffman was born at Mount Jackson, Virginia

Mount Jackson, Virginia

Mount Jackson is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mount Jackson is located at in the southern part of Shenandoah County, Virginia at...

, 28 November 1854. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1876.

Coffman served in monitor

Monitor (warship)

A monitor was a class of relatively small warship which was neither fast nor strongly armoured but carried disproportionately large guns. They were used by some navies from the 1860s until the end of World War II, and saw their final use by the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.The monitors...

  during the Spanish-American War, and received the Distinguished Service Medal

Distinguished Service Medal (United States)

The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...

 as Commander, Battleship

Battleship

A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...

 Force 2, Atlantic Fleet, during World War I.

He retired as Rear Admiral on 28 November 1918, and was advanced to Vice Admiral on the retired list on 21 June 1930. He died at Jamestown, Rhode Island

Jamestown, Rhode Island

Jamestown is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island, in the United States. The population was 5,405 at the 2010 census. Jamestown is situated almost entirely on Conanicut Island, the second largest island in Narragansett Bay.-History:...

, on 27 June 1932.

Namesakes

Coffman Cove, Alaska

Coffman Cove, Alaska

Coffman Cove is a city in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, in the United States. It is located on Prince of Wales Island. The population was 199 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Coffman Cove is located at ....

, was named after him by Lt. Comdr. A.S. Snow of the US Navy in 1886.
The destroyer escort , launched in 1943, was named in his honor.