Peter C. Assersen
Encyclopedia
Peter C. Assersen was Norwegian-born civil engineer and Rear Admiral
in the United States Navy
.
, in Rogaland
county, Norway
. He left Norway at age 17 as a cabin boy on a bark sailing from the port of Stavanger
. He came to the United States in 1859 at age 20.
on May 27, 1862 at age 23. He took part in several battles as commander of gunboats. He was made an Acting Ensign
on November 24, 1862 and was appointed an engineer in the United States Naval Marine Corps
.
Assersen was honorably discharged on February 28, 1869 and returned to naval service as a civil engineer on 6 March 1874. Assersen became a Lieutenant
, Captain
and in 1889, Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. Assersen was the chief engineer of the Brooklyn Naval Yards and Norfolk Naval Yard, specializing in building drydocks.
He retired from military service on January 5, 1901, with the rank of Rear Admiral and continued on active duty. He died during 1906 and was buried at the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis. His son, Henry R. Assersen served as a special engineer during the First World War on General Pershing’s staff.
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- 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...
.
Background
Assersen was born during 1839, the youngest of twelve children, on the Midtbrøt farm in Egersund parish, today located in the municipality of EigersundEigersund
Eigersund is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. Egersund landdisstrikt was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Augne was separated from Eigersund in 1839. Helleland and the town of Egersund were merged with Eigersund on 1 January 1965.-Location:Eigersund extends from the...
, in Rogaland
Rogaland
is a county in Western Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. It is the center of the Norwegian petroleum industry, and as a result of this, Rogaland has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in Norway, 1.1%...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He left Norway at age 17 as a cabin boy on a bark sailing from the port of Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
. He came to the United States in 1859 at age 20.
Military service
During the Civil War, he enlisted in the United States Navy as a Master's MateMaster's mate
Master's mate is an obsolete rating which was used by the Royal Navy, United States Navy and merchant services in both countries for a senior petty officer who assisted the master...
on May 27, 1862 at age 23. He took part in several battles as commander of gunboats. He was made an Acting 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...
on November 24, 1862 and was appointed an engineer in the United States Naval Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
Assersen was honorably discharged on February 28, 1869 and returned to naval service as a civil engineer on 6 March 1874. Assersen became a 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...
, 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....
and in 1889, Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. Assersen was the chief engineer of the Brooklyn Naval Yards and Norfolk Naval Yard, specializing in building drydocks.
He retired from military service on January 5, 1901, with the rank of Rear Admiral and continued on active duty. He died during 1906 and was buried at 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...
in Annapolis. His son, Henry R. Assersen served as a special engineer during the First World War on General Pershing’s staff.
Other sources
- Ulvestad, Martin Nordmændene i Amerika deres Historie og Rekord (Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1st volume. 1907) Norwegian
- Bjork, Kenneth Saga in Steel and Concrete (Northfield, Minnesota: Norwegian-American Historical Association. Chapter 9, Pg. 335-338. 1947)
- Rygg, Andreas Nilsen Norwegians in New York (Brooklyn NY: The Norwegian News Company, p. 50. 1941)
- Bergmann, Leola Nelson Americans from Norway (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: J.B.Lippincott Co. p. 216. 1950)