Gottfried Blocklinger was a Rear-admiral in the 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...

;
Born. Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....

, October, 23, 1847.
Notable achievements include: in 1879 as a Lieutenant, he commanded the survey of the Madeira river

Madeira River

The Madeira River is a major waterway in South America, approximately 3,250 km miles long The Madeira is the biggest tributary of the Amazon...

, in the Amazon.http://books.google.com/books?id=tCwXAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA644&dq=Madeira+blocklinger&hl=en&ei=i7ffTZv0BcKCgAe1hpn1Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Madeira%20blocklinger&f=false Was a lieutenant on board the USS Baltimore (C-3)

USS Baltimore (C-3)

The fourth USS Baltimore was a United States Navy cruiser, the second protected cruiser to be built by an American yard. Like the previous one, , the design was commissioned from the British company of W...

 during the Baltimore Crisis

Baltimore Crisis

The Baltimore Crisis was a diplomatic incident that took place between Chile and the United States, during the Chilean Civil War, as result of the growing American influence in Pacific Coast region of Latin America in the 1890s. It remains a nodal event because it marked a dramatic shift in United...

 of 1891. And was the Executive Officer

Executive officer

An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...

, on board the USS Charleston (C-2)

USS Charleston (C-2)

The second USS Charleston was a United States Navy protected cruiser — the first US protected cruiser to be built. Lacking experience in building steel cruisers, the design was commissioned from the British company W. Armstrong, Mitchell and Co...

 during the Capture of Guam

Capture of Guam

The Capture of Guam was a bloodless event between the United States and the Kingdom of Spain during the Spanish-American War. The U.S. Navy sent a single cruiser, the , to capture the island of Guam, then under Spanish control. However, the Spanish garrison on the island had no knowledge of the war...

 to the United States during the Spanish American war in 1898.

Naval career

Acting Midshipman

Midshipman

A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...

, 22 July 1863

Appointed. from Iowa., and graduated. United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

., 2 June 1868

Promoted to Ensign

Ensign

An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...

, April 19, 1869 http://www.tfoenander.com/kearsargeofficers.htm

Promoted to Master

Master (naval)

The master, or sailing master, was a historic term for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel...

, July 12, 1870

Promoted to Lieutenant

Lieutenant

A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

, April 2, 1874

Promoted to Lieutenant-Commander., May 21, 1895

Promoted to Commander

Commander

Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...

, March, 3, 1899

Promoted to Captain

Captain (naval)

Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....

., June 1, 1904

Promoted to Rear-admiral, October 30, 1908

Service Record

1864-69; During the Civil War

Civil war

A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....

 he was a midshipman. His duties included services on board the USS Marion

USS Marion (1839)

USS Marion was a sloop-of-war of the third rate in the Union Navy during the American Civil War.Marion was launched at the Boston Navy Yard on 24 April 1839. On 10 November 1839, she departed Boston on her first cruise, to Brazil. Sunk when heaved down in the harbor at Rio de Janeiro early in 1842,...

 in summer of 1864. And served successively in the Pacific squadron on board the Kearsarge

USS Kearsarge (1861)

USS Kearsarge, a Mohican-class sloop-of-war, is best known for her defeat of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama during the American Civil War. The Kearsarge was the only ship of the United States Navy named for Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire...

 in 1869,http://www.tfoenander.com/kearsargeofficers.htm Enterprise, and Adams.

1868-82; Coast survey

1880 Served aboard the USS Adams (1874)

USS Adams (1874)

USS Adams was a screw gunboat and the lead ship of the Adams class.Adams was built as a single screw, wooden-hull, bark-rigged steamer. The ship was laid down in February 1874 at Boston, Massachusetts, by Donald MacKay; and was launched on 24 October 1874. The new ship was commissioned on 21 July...

 

1885; hydrographic office

Hydrographic office

A hydrographic office is an organization which is devoted to acquiring and publishing hydrographic information.Historically, the main tasks of hydrographic offices were the conduction of hydrographic surveys and the publication of nautical charts...

 

1883-86; USS Alliance (1877)

USS Alliance (1877)

The second USS Alliance was a screw gunboat that was in service from 1877-1911 with the United States Navy.Laid down as Huron, a screw gunboat of the third rate, in 1873 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Alliance was launched on 8 March 1875. She was sponsored by Miss Eulalie Boush, whose father, Naval...

 

1888-89; insp. 7th light-house dist., (the western coast of Florida)http://books.google.com/books?id=izNHAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA121&dq=blocklinger&hl=en&ei=m87fTaHKAdDpgQeTy_TpCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CE0Q6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=blocklinger&f=false

1890; USS Richmond (1860)

USS Richmond (1860)

The USS Richmond was a wooden steam sloop in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Service in the Caribbean :Richmond was launched on 26 January 1860 by the Norfolk Navy Yard; sponsored by a Miss Robb. Richmond, commanded by Captain D. N. Ingraham, departed Norfolk, Virginia 13...

 which was assigned to the South Atlantic Station

South Atlantic Station

The South Atlantic Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formed from the former Cape of Good Hope Station.-History:...

1891; USS Baltimore (C-3)

USS Baltimore (C-3)

The fourth USS Baltimore was a United States Navy cruiser, the second protected cruiser to be built by an American yard. Like the previous one, , the design was commissioned from the British company of W...

 Was transferred to the Yorktown during the Baltimore Crisis

Baltimore Crisis

The Baltimore Crisis was a diplomatic incident that took place between Chile and the United States, during the Chilean Civil War, as result of the growing American influence in Pacific Coast region of Latin America in the 1890s. It remains a nodal event because it marked a dramatic shift in United...

.

1891-93; USS Yorktown (PG-1),

1893; Washington Navy Yard

Washington Navy Yard

The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...

 

1893-95; Executive Officer USS Boston (1884)

USS Boston (1884)

The fifth USS Boston, a protected cruiser, was launched 4 December 1884 by John Roach & Sons, Chester, Pennsylvania, and commissioned 2 May 1887, Captain Francis M. Ramsay in command....

 

1895-96; Mare Island Naval Shipyard

Mare Island Naval Shipyard

The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...

 California.

1897-99; Executive Officer, USS Charleston (C-2)

USS Charleston (C-2)

The second USS Charleston was a United States Navy protected cruiser — the first US protected cruiser to be built. Lacking experience in building steel cruisers, the design was commissioned from the British company W. Armstrong, Mitchell and Co...

 http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/spanam/events/misc-pac.htm

1899-01; Commanding Officer.USS Concord (PG-3)

USS Concord (PG-3)

USS Concord was a member of the of steel-hulled, twin-screw gunboats in the United States Navy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was the second U.S. Navy ship named in honor of the town of Concord, Massachusetts, site of the Battle of Concord in the American Revolutionary War.The...

,

1901; Commanding Officer. USS Alert (AS-4)

USS Alert (AS-4)

The third USS Alert was an iron-hulled screw steamer gunboat in the United States Navy. The lead ship in her class, Alert was destined for a long Naval career, serving from 1875 to 1922, a period of 47 years, including service as a submarine tender in World War I...

11 May 1901 Assigned to Alert'—11 May 1901, Comdr. Gottfried Blocklinger commanded the vessel and was assigned to the Pacific Station as a training vessel for apprentice sailors. In that capacity the vessel made short cruises along the California coast

1901, USS Wheeling (PG-14)

USS Wheeling (PG-14)

USS Wheeling was a Wheeling-class gunboat acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1897. She served as a gunboat during the Spanish-American War as well as a convoy escort during World War I...

,

1902, USS Vicksburg (PG-11)

USS Vicksburg (PG-11)

USS Vicksburg was a United States Navy gunboat, laid down on March 1896 at Bath, Maine, launched on 5 December 1896, and commissioned on 23 October 1897.-Spanish-American War, 1898-1899:...

, cruising the waters off the coasts of China, Japan, and Korea

1902, USS New Orleans (CL-22)

USS New Orleans (CL-22)

USS New Orleans was a United States Navy protected cruiser.She was laid down in 1895 as Amazonas for the Brazilian Navy by Armstrong, Mitchell and Company, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, launched on 4 December 1896, purchased by the Navy while building on 16 March 1898; and commissioned 18 March 1898...

 flagship of the Cruiser Squadron, U.S. Asiatic Fleet, she cruised the Philippines and the China coast.,

1903; Navy Yard, Norfolk, VA.,

1904; Navy Yard, New York,

1904-06; Commanding Officer USS Illinois (BB-7)

USS Illinois (BB-7)

USS Illinois , the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 21st state, was a battleship, the lead ship of her class....

, At that time, the Illinois was assigned to the North Atlantic. She engaged in fleet maneuvers, gunnery and seamanship training, and ceremonial operations. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/i1/illinois.htm

1906-09; Member Naval Examining and Retiring Boards.http://books.google.com/books?id=5GITAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=gottfried+blocklinger&source=bl&ots=lvZPUKIUHY&sig=1TzrjLtZaMTKAvU8ow3KvUlirE0&hl=en&ei=3rzeTc7WPMPogQeppvDrCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=gottfried%20blocklinger&f=false No officer below the grade of Captain can be promoted to a higher grade until recommended by the Boards.

1909; Retired to 1192 Locust St., Dubuque, Ia.http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1192+Locust+Street,+Dubuque,+Iowa&layer=c&z=17&iwloc=A&sll=42.503724,-90.669649&cbp=13,59.4,0,0,0&cbll=42.503584,-90.669969&hl=en&gl=us&ved=0CA8Q2wU&sa=X&ei=5YP7Tb7qEpS-ygXfsfGKAw

Sources and external links

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY—NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/spanam/events/misc-pac.htm

Chambers's Encyclopedia. The Records Of Living Officers Of The U. S. Navy And Marine Corps.
Fourth Edition. 1890 L. R. Hamersly & Co. 1890. Pg 190-191

Who's Who in America Volume XI, 1920-1921

"The Call" A San Fransisco Newspaper includes Blocklinger and covers the Capture of Guam http://www.google.com/search?q=guam+blocklinger+site%3Acdnc.ucr.edu&hl=en&newwindow=1&biw=1109&bih=939&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=

Report of the Secretary of the Navy, November 30, 1879 http://books.google.com/books?id=Y1U7AQAAIAAJ&pg=PA3&dq=%22Report+of+the+Secretary+of+the+Navy%22+November+30+1879&hl=en&ei=F7_fTZ3zNMbngQeknbXVCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Report%20of%20the%20Secretary%20of%20the%20Navy%22%20November%2030%201879&f=false