Ivan Wettengel
Encyclopedia
Ivan Cyrus Wettengel was a United States Navy
Captain who served as the 25th Naval Governor of Guam. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy
, Wettengel commanded a number of ships. He received the Navy Cross
for his command of the USS Wisconsin
during World War I
. He also commanded the USS Texas
and the Naval Training Station Hampton Roads
. During his tenure as governor, he overturned many of the unpopular policies of William Gilmer
. He also attempted to assemble a bull-mounted Guam Cavalry, but the initiative failed. A number of locations in Guam
are named in his honor.
in 1876. At the time of his appointment to the Naval Academy he lived in Colorado
. His wife died on December 13, 1927 while he was stationed at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard
.
in 1896. Ensign
Wettengel served aboard the USS Buffalo
. He commanded
the USS Mindoro in 1900. In 1902, while a lieutenant
, he saw duty aboard the USS Constellation
. He served aboard the USS Newark
in 1905 and the USS Minnesota
in 1906. In 1914, he served aboard the USS Arkansas
as a lieutenant commander
. He commanded the USS Wisconsin
during World War I
, for which he received the Navy Cross
. He commanded the USS Texas
from May 22, 1924 until September 28, 1925 when he became commander of Naval Training Station Hampton Roads
. He retired at the rank of Captain.
, the widely-criticized and dislike governor immediately prior to him. During his tenure, the Navy opened the first naval aviation
station on the island at Orote Peninsula
. He attempted a military experiment during his time in office by forming the Guam Cavalry. These units rode mounted bulls but the idea was abandoned when the bulls proved untrainable. He endorsed increasing medical aid to the island in an effort to in improving the "civilizing and Americanization" of the Chamorro people by making health care and sanitation more widespread.
are named in Wettengel's honor. Wettengel Elementary School, opened in 1968 in Dededo, Guam
, briefly held the Eloy Q. Benavente Elementary School in 2008 before protest led school officials to re-affirm its original name in honor of Wettengel. Wettengel Rugby Field
is also named in his honor. Okkodo High School
used to be known as Wettengel High School.
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...
Captain who served as the 25th Naval Governor of Guam. A graduate of the 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...
, Wettengel commanded a number of ships. He received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for his command of the USS Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin (BB-9)
USS Wisconsin , an Illinois-class battleship, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 30th state.The keel of Battleship No. 9 was laid down on 9 February 1897 at San Francisco, California, by the Union Iron Works...
during 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...
. He also commanded the USS Texas
USS Texas (BB-35)
USS Texas , the second ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the U.S. state of Texas, is a . The ship was launched on 18 May 1912 and commissioned on 12 March 1914....
and the Naval Training Station Hampton Roads
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
. During his tenure as governor, he overturned many of the unpopular policies of William Gilmer
William Gilmer
William Wirt Gilmer was a United States Navy Captain who served as both the 22nd and 24th Naval Governor of Guam. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he commanded the USS South Carolina during World War I, for which he received the Navy Cross. During his two terms as governor, he proved...
. He also attempted to assemble a bull-mounted Guam Cavalry, but the initiative failed. A number of locations in Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
are named in his honor.
Life
Wettengel was born in IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in 1876. At the time of his appointment to the Naval Academy he lived in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. His wife died on December 13, 1927 while he was stationed at the 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...
.
Naval career
Wettengel graduated from the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1896. Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
Wettengel served aboard the USS Buffalo
USS Buffalo (1892)
The second USS Buffalo was an auxiliary cruiser of the United States Navy, and later a destroyer tender.Buffalo was built in 1892 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, in Newport News, Virginia, as El Cid. Six months later she was sold to Brazil and renamed Nichtheroy...
. He commanded
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
the USS Mindoro in 1900. In 1902, while a lieutenant
Lieutenant (naval)
LieutenantThe pronunciation of lieutenant is generally split between or , generally in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries, and or , generally associated with the United States. See lieutenant. is a commissioned officer rank in many nations' navies...
, he saw duty aboard the USS Constellation
USS Constellation (1854)
USS Constellation constructed in 1854 is a sloop-of-war and the second United States Navy ship to carry this famous name. According to the US Naval Registry the original frigate was disassembled on 25 June 1853 in Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, and the sloop-of-war was constructed in the...
. He served aboard the USS Newark
USS Newark (C-1)
The first USS Newark was a United States Navy protected cruiser, the first modern cruiser in the US fleet.She was laid down by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 12 June 1888, launched on 19 March 1890, sponsored by Miss Annie Boutelle, the daughter of Congressman Charles A...
in 1905 and the USS Minnesota
USS Minnesota (BB-22)
USS Minnesota , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy in honor of the 32nd state, and the 24th battleship of the US Navy ....
in 1906. In 1914, he served aboard the USS Arkansas
USS Arkansas (BB-33)
USS Arkansas , a was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 25th state.A dreadnought battleship, Arkansas was laid down on 25 January 1910 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. She was launched on 14 January 1911 sponsored by Miss Nancy Louise...
as a lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
. He commanded the USS Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin (BB-9)
USS Wisconsin , an Illinois-class battleship, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 30th state.The keel of Battleship No. 9 was laid down on 9 February 1897 at San Francisco, California, by the Union Iron Works...
during 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...
, for which he received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
. He commanded the USS Texas
USS Texas (BB-35)
USS Texas , the second ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the U.S. state of Texas, is a . The ship was launched on 18 May 1912 and commissioned on 12 March 1914....
from May 22, 1924 until September 28, 1925 when he became commander of Naval Training Station Hampton Roads
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
. He retired at the rank of Captain.
Governorship
Wettengel served as Naval Governor of Guam from July 7, 1920 to February 27, 1921. He overturned many of the policies of William GilmerWilliam Gilmer
William Wirt Gilmer was a United States Navy Captain who served as both the 22nd and 24th Naval Governor of Guam. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he commanded the USS South Carolina during World War I, for which he received the Navy Cross. During his two terms as governor, he proved...
, the widely-criticized and dislike governor immediately prior to him. During his tenure, the Navy opened the first naval aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
station on the island at Orote Peninsula
Orote Peninsula
The Orote Peninsula is a four kilometre-long peninsula jutting from the west coast of Guam. It forms the southern coast of Apra Harbor, and its westernmost tip, Point Udall, is also Guam's westernmost point...
. He attempted a military experiment during his time in office by forming the Guam Cavalry. These units rode mounted bulls but the idea was abandoned when the bulls proved untrainable. He endorsed increasing medical aid to the island in an effort to in improving the "civilizing and Americanization" of the Chamorro people by making health care and sanitation more widespread.
Legacy
A number of locations on GuamGuam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
are named in Wettengel's honor. Wettengel Elementary School, opened in 1968 in Dededo, Guam
Dededo, Guam
Dededo is the most populated village of the United States territory of Guam. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Dededo's population was just under 45,000 in 2010. The village is located on the coral plateau of Northern Guam.- Etymology :...
, briefly held the Eloy Q. Benavente Elementary School in 2008 before protest led school officials to re-affirm its original name in honor of Wettengel. Wettengel Rugby Field
Wettengel Rugby Field
Wettengel Rugby Field is a multi-use stadium in Dededo, Guam. It is currently used mostly for rugby and football matches. The stadium holds 1,500 people. It is named for former Naval Governor of Guam Ivan Wettengel....
is also named in his honor. Okkodo High School
Okkodo High School
Okkodo High School is a public secondary school located in Dededo, Guam . It is a part of the Guam Public School System.-History:...
used to be known as Wettengel High School.