Richard George Voge
Encyclopedia
Richard George Voge born in Chicago, Illinois, was an officer in the United States Navy
. He completed the course at Harrison Technical High School in Chicago in 1921, and entered the Naval Academy
later that year. He graduated on 4 June 1925 and received his ensign's commission.
His first assignment was three years in the armored cruiser
Pittsburgh (CA-4). In early 1929, Voge returned to the United States from the Far East
to attend the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut
. After completing that course and qualifying for submarine
duty, he spent the bulk of his remaining time at sea in submarines.
January 1931 through June 1932: S-29
July 1932 to September 1933: war plans and intelligence training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.
September 1933 through June 1935: Instructor in Marine Engineering at the Naval Academy.
June 1935 until May 1937: Command of S-18
May 1937 through August 1937: Command of S-33
August 1937 through September 1939: Naval Ordnance Plant at Baldwin
on Long Island
September 1939 to late January 1940: A four-month tour of duty as commissioning executive officer of the destroyer
Rowan
(DD-405)
In mid-February 1940, Commander
Voge returned to the Asiatic Fleet and assumed command of the submarine Sealion
(SS-195), based at Cavite
in the Philippines
, and commanded that submarine until the opening day of American participation in World War II
.
At the outbreak of hostilities on 8 December 1941 (West Longitude Time), Voge suffered the double ignominy of having his command caught in overhaul and, three days later, of losing her to enemy bombs while still at Cavite Navy Yard. Voge, however, quickly recovered from that blow, assumed command of Sailfish
(SS-192) (formerly named Squalus) on 17 December, and led her on five successful war patrols during the first eight months of 1942. Until the Battles of Coral Sea
and of Midway
in May and June, respectively, only Pacific Fleet submarines like Sailfish were able to fight to impede the Japan
ese onslaught; and their war patrols provided the one bright spot for the Allied cause in the Pacific.
In August 1942, upon the completion of his fifth war patrol in Sailfish, Voge received orders to join the staff of Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet
, as operations and combat intelligence officer. He retained that position, in which he was promoted to Captain to date from 20 July 1943, until late in the war, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C.
, to serve in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
.
On 1 November 1946, Capt. Voge was retired from the Navy and advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral
. A little over two years later, Rear Admiral Voge died at the United Hospital
at Port Chester, New York
.
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...
. He completed the course at Harrison Technical High School in Chicago in 1921, and entered the 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...
later that year. He graduated on 4 June 1925 and received his ensign's commission.
His first assignment was three years in the armored cruiser
Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
Pittsburgh (CA-4). In early 1929, Voge returned to the United States from the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
to attend the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
. After completing that course and qualifying for submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
duty, he spent the bulk of his remaining time at sea in submarines.
January 1931 through June 1932: S-29
USS S-29 (SS-134)
USS S-29 , was a first-group S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 17 April 1919 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts. She was launched on 9 November 1922 sponsored by Mrs. Ronan C. Grady, and commissioned on 22 May 1924 with...
July 1932 to September 1933: war plans and intelligence training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.
September 1933 through June 1935: Instructor in Marine Engineering at the Naval Academy.
June 1935 until May 1937: Command of S-18
USS S-18 (SS-123)
USS S-18 was a first-group S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 15 August 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts. She was launched on 29 April 1920 sponsored by Miss Virginia Bell Johnson, and commissioned on 3 April 1924 with...
May 1937 through August 1937: Command of S-33
USS S-33 (SS-138)
USS S-33 was a first-group S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 14 June 1918 by the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California. She was launched on 5 December 1918 sponsored by Mrs. Thomas M. Searles, and commissioned on 18 April 1922 with Lieutenant George P...
August 1937 through September 1939: Naval Ordnance Plant at Baldwin
Baldwin, Nassau County, New York
Baldwin is a hamlet located in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 24,033 at the 2010 census.Baldwin is also a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road....
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
September 1939 to late January 1940: A four-month tour of duty as commissioning executive officer of the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
Rowan
USS Rowan (DD-405)
The third USS Rowan was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Stephen C. Rowan.-History:Rowan was laid down on 25 June 1937 by the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia; launched 5 May 1938; sponsored by Miss Elizabeth H...
(DD-405)
In mid-February 1940, 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...
Voge returned to the Asiatic Fleet and assumed command of the submarine Sealion
USS Sealion (SS-195)
USS Sealion , a Sargo-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sea lion, any of several large, eared seals native to the Pacific....
(SS-195), based at Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and commanded that submarine until the opening day of American participation in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
At the outbreak of hostilities on 8 December 1941 (West Longitude Time), Voge suffered the double ignominy of having his command caught in overhaul and, three days later, of losing her to enemy bombs while still at Cavite Navy Yard. Voge, however, quickly recovered from that blow, assumed command of Sailfish
USS Sailfish (SS-192)
USS Sailfish , a , was originally named Squalus.Her keel was laid on 18 October 1937 by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, as Squalus, the only ship of the United States Navy named for the squalus. She was launched on 14 September 1938 sponsored by Mrs. Thomas C...
(SS-192) (formerly named Squalus) on 17 December, and led her on five successful war patrols during the first eight months of 1942. Until the Battles of Coral Sea
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...
and of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
in May and June, respectively, only Pacific Fleet submarines like Sailfish were able to fight to impede the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese onslaught; and their war patrols provided the one bright spot for the Allied cause in the Pacific.
In August 1942, upon the completion of his fifth war patrol in Sailfish, Voge received orders to join the staff of Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
, as operations and combat intelligence officer. He retained that position, in which he was promoted to Captain to date from 20 July 1943, until late in the war, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, to serve in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
.
On 1 November 1946, Capt. Voge was retired from the Navy and advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
. A little over two years later, Rear Admiral Voge died at the United Hospital
United Hospital
United Hospital, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a 556 bed non-profit hospital that serves Saint Paul, Minnesota and the eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area. United Hospital is part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics and offers specialty services including pregnancy care, birth center, behavioral...
at Port Chester, New York
Port Chester, New York
Port Chester is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The village is part of the town of Rye. As of the 2010 census, Port Chester had a population of 28,967...
.