Samuel W. Bryant
Encyclopedia
Samuel Wood Bryant was an admiral in the United States Navy
.
, Pennsylvania
on May 24, 1877 and attended Bryant School and Pittsburgh Academy before receiving an appointment to the United States Naval Academy
in May 1893. Though he resigned the appointment soon thereafter, Bryant secured another in 1896 and returned to the Naval Academy to complete the course. In June 1898, while still a naval cadet, he was assigned to the battleship
Massachusetts
of Admiral William T. Sampson
’s Atlantic Squadron in which he took part in the bombardments of Santiago on May 31 and June 6 and in other engagements in the West Indies during the Spanish-American War
. He also served in the gunboat
Leyden
before returning to the Naval Academy.
Graduating in June 1900, he then served the two years at sea then required by law before being commissioned as an ensign. During that interval, he served briefly in the armored cruiser
New York
(Armored Cruiser No. 2) before reporting on board the converted yacht
Yankton
on September 1. About a year later, he left the converted yacht for duty in the battleship Illinois
(Battleship No. 7). It was late in this assignment, on August 7, 1902, that Bryant received his commission as an ensign
. On September 19, 1902, he was detached from Illinois for a short tour of duty as a watch and division on board Nashville
(Gunboat No. 7). That assignment concluded with the year and Ens. Bryant transferred to Machias
(Gunboat No. 5) on December 30, 1902 and remained in her until April 1904. Thereafter, until October 1907, he did successive duty on board Marblehead
(Cruiser No. 11) and Preble
(Torpedo-boat Destroyer No. 12) and finally as navigator of Lawton and Buffalo
. While serving in Preble, he was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) on August 21, 1905 and to full lieutenant
on September 11, 1905.
In the fall 1907, Lt. Bryant returned to the Naval Academy as a navigation instructor and remained there almost three years. After being detached in June 1910, he joined Nebraska
(Battleship No. 14). On October 28, 1912, in the rank of lieutenant commander
, he assumed command of Yankton which duty he carried out until May 31, 1913. Ordered to the Naval War College
in Newport, R.I., he pursued the short course until October 4 when he transferred to the Naval Radio Station, Norfolk, Va.
There, he took up duty as assistant to the superintendent on November 10. He next fitted out and assumed command of Allen
(Torpedo-boat Destroyer
No. 66) at her commissioning
on January 24, 1917.
Continuing in command of Allen after the United States entered World War I
in April 1917, Bryant was promoted to commander
on June 22, 1917. In December 1917, however, he was appointed an aide on the staff of the Commander, U.S. Destroyer Flotillas Operating in European Waters. He served in that capacity until late in August 1918, being promoted to captain on August 15, 1918. Capt. Bryant returned to the United States to fit out Gamble
(Destroyer No. 123). On November 4, 1918, he was appointed to command the destroyers based at Norfolk, Va.
, which he did until February 7, 1919 when he was transferred to command of Flotilla B and Destroyers based at Charleston, S.C.
In June of that year Capt. Bryant received orders to Washington, D.C.
for duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
with the Director of Naval Communications
. He left that office at the beginning of June 1922 to take command of Division 39, Destroyer Squadrons, Atlantic Fleet
, with additional duty as the commanding officer of McCormick
(DD-223), positions which he held for 17 months. In addition, he left these assignments temporarily in December 1922 to serve as an assistant to the naval advisor to the American delegate to the International Commission on the Rules of Warfare at the Hague
in the Netherlands
.
Returning to Division 39 and McCormick early in 1923, he resumed those commands until the following fall. Detached from Division 39 on November 17, Capt. Bryant went back to the Office of Naval Communications, where he served as assistant director from December 11, 1923 to May 31, 1924. He then returned to the Naval War College, and, after completing the course in May 1925, served on the staff there until July 1926. After that, he went to sea again, commanding Detroit
(CL-8) for two years, before starting another tour of duty on the Naval War College staff in July 1928.
In June 1930, he became chief of staff to the Commander, Scouting Fleet
.
During the 24 months in which he served in that position, Scouting Fleet was redesignated Scouting Force. Detached early in the summer of 1932, he reported for duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations on 7 July 1932 as officer-in-charge of the War Plans Division. Near the end of that assignment, on February 18, 1934, he was promoted to rear admiral
. In July 1934, Rear Admiral Bryant received orders to break his flag afloat as the Commander, Battleship Division 2, Battle Force, and did so on September 4, 1934. He remained so employed until March 30, 1935 when he became chief of staff to the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet
, in which capacity he served until August 29, 1935.
Hospitalized for more than a year, he was discharged from the Naval Hospital, San Diego, on December 15, 1936 and, on March 1, 1937, was transferred to the retired list by reason of physical disability. Rear Admiral Bryant died in Asheville
, North Carolina
on November 4, 1938, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
on November 7, 1938.
(DD-665) was named in his honor.
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...
.
Biography
Bryant was born in WashingtonWashington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on May 24, 1877 and attended Bryant School and Pittsburgh Academy before receiving an appointment to 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 May 1893. Though he resigned the appointment soon thereafter, Bryant secured another in 1896 and returned to the Naval Academy to complete the course. In June 1898, while still a naval cadet, he was assigned to the 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...
Massachusetts
USS Massachusetts (BB-2)
USS Massachusetts was an and the second United States Navy ship comparable to foreign battleships of the time. Authorized in 1890 and commissioned six years later, she was a small battleship, though with heavy armor and ordnance. The ship class also pioneered the use of an intermediate battery...
of Admiral William T. Sampson
William T. Sampson
William Thomas Sampson was a United States Navy rear admiral known for his victory in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
’s Atlantic Squadron in which he took part in the bombardments of Santiago on May 31 and June 6 and in other engagements in the West Indies during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. He also served in the gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
Leyden
USS Leyden (1865)
The first USS Leyden was a screw steamer that operated as a tug in the U.S. Navy from 1866 to 1903 and saw combat service in the Spanish-American War in 1898.Leyden was launched in 1865 by James Tetlow, Chelsea, Massachusetts...
before returning to the Naval Academy.
Graduating in June 1900, he then served the two years at sea then required by law before being commissioned as an ensign. During that interval, he served briefly 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...
New York
USS New York (ACR-2)
USS New York was a United States Navy armored cruiser. The fourth Navy ship to be named in honor of the state of New York, she was later renamed Saratoga and then Rochester ....
(Armored Cruiser No. 2) before reporting on board the converted yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
Yankton
USS Yankton (1893)
USS Yankton was a steel-hulled schooner built in 1893 at Leith, Scotland, by Ramage & Ferguson. She was acquired by the US Navy in May 1898; renamed Yankton; and commissioned on 16 May 1898 at Norfolk, Virginia, with Lt. Comdr. James D...
on September 1. About a year later, he left the converted yacht for duty in the battleship Illinois
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....
(Battleship No. 7). It was late in this assignment, on August 7, 1902, that Bryant received his commission as an 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....
. On September 19, 1902, he was detached from Illinois for a short tour of duty as a watch and division on board Nashville
USS Nashville (PG-7)
USS Nashville , a gunboat, was the only ship of its class. It was the third ship of the United States Navy to hold the name Nashville....
(Gunboat No. 7). That assignment concluded with the year and Ens. Bryant transferred to Machias
USS Machias (PG-5)
The first USS Machias , a schooner-rigged gunboat, was laid down in February 1891 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. She was launched on 8 December 1891. She was sponsored by Miss Ethel Hyde, daughter of President Hyde of Bath Iron Works and commissioned at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, 20...
(Gunboat No. 5) on December 30, 1902 and remained in her until April 1904. Thereafter, until October 1907, he did successive duty on board Marblehead
USS Marblehead (C-11)
The second USS Marblehead was an unarmored cruiser in the United States Navy which served in the Spanish-American War and World War I....
(Cruiser No. 11) and Preble
USS Preble (DD-12)
The third USS Preble was a Bainbridge-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for Commodore Edward Preble.Preble was laid down by the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California, on 21 April 1899; launched on 2 March 1901; sponsored by Miss Ethel Preble; and commissioned on 14...
(Torpedo-boat Destroyer No. 12) and finally as navigator of Lawton and 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...
. While serving in Preble, he was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) on August 21, 1905 and to full 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...
on September 11, 1905.
In the fall 1907, Lt. Bryant returned to the Naval Academy as a navigation instructor and remained there almost three years. After being detached in June 1910, he joined Nebraska
USS Nebraska (BB-14)
USS Nebraska was a Virginia-class pre-dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy. She was the first ship to carry her name.- History :...
(Battleship No. 14). On October 28, 1912, in the rank of lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
, he assumed command of Yankton which duty he carried out until May 31, 1913. Ordered to the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
in Newport, R.I., he pursued the short course until October 4 when he transferred to the Naval Radio Station, Norfolk, Va.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
There, he took up duty as assistant to the superintendent on November 10. He next fitted out and assumed command of Allen
USS Allen (DD-66)
USS Allen was a Sampson-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship named for Lieutenant William Henry Allen , a naval officer during the War of 1812...
(Torpedo-boat 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...
No. 66) at her commissioning
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on January 24, 1917.
Continuing in command of Allen after the United States entered 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...
in April 1917, Bryant was 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...
on June 22, 1917. In December 1917, however, he was appointed an aide on the staff of the Commander, U.S. Destroyer Flotillas Operating in European Waters. He served in that capacity until late in August 1918, being promoted to captain on August 15, 1918. Capt. Bryant returned to the United States to fit out Gamble
USS Gamble (DD-123)
USS Gamble was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I, later converted to a minelayer in World War II. She was named for two brothers, Lieutenant Peter Gamble and Lieutenant Colonel John M...
(Destroyer No. 123). On November 4, 1918, he was appointed to command the destroyers based at Norfolk, Va.
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...
, which he did until February 7, 1919 when he was transferred to command of Flotilla B and Destroyers based at Charleston, S.C.
In June of that year Capt. Bryant received orders 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....
for duty 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...
with the Director of Naval Communications
Director of Naval Communications
Director of Naval Communications was a post on the staff of the United States Navy's Chief of Naval Operations responsible for organizing, administering and operating the Naval Communications Service. In Navy parlance, this was Op-20. Created in 1916, the position replaced that of the...
. He left that office at the beginning of June 1922 to take command of Division 39, Destroyer Squadrons, Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, with additional duty as the commanding officer of McCormick
USS McCormick (DD-223)
USS McCormick was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Lieutenant, junior grade Alexander McCormick, Jr....
(DD-223), positions which he held for 17 months. In addition, he left these assignments temporarily in December 1922 to serve as an assistant to the naval advisor to the American delegate to the International Commission on the Rules of Warfare at the Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Returning to Division 39 and McCormick early in 1923, he resumed those commands until the following fall. Detached from Division 39 on November 17, Capt. Bryant went back to the Office of Naval Communications, where he served as assistant director from December 11, 1923 to May 31, 1924. He then returned to the Naval War College, and, after completing the course in May 1925, served on the staff there until July 1926. After that, he went to sea again, commanding Detroit
USS Detroit (CL-8)
USS Detroit was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the fourth Navy ship named for the city of Detroit, Michigan....
(CL-8) for two years, before starting another tour of duty on the Naval War College staff in July 1928.
In June 1930, he became chief of staff to the Commander, Scouting Fleet
Scouting Fleet
The Scouting Fleet was part of the United States Fleet in the United States Navy, and renamed the Scouting Force in 1930.Established in 1922, the fleet consisted mainly of older battleships and initially operated in the Atlantic...
.
During the 24 months in which he served in that position, Scouting Fleet was redesignated Scouting Force. Detached early in the summer of 1932, he reported for duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations on 7 July 1932 as officer-in-charge of the War Plans Division. Near the end of that assignment, on February 18, 1934, he was promoted to rear admiral
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 July 1934, Rear Admiral Bryant received orders to break his flag afloat as the Commander, Battleship Division 2, Battle Force, and did so on September 4, 1934. He remained so employed until March 30, 1935 when he became chief of staff to the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet
United States Fleet
The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. The abbreviation CINCUS, pronounced "sink us", was used for Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet. This title was disposed of and officially replaced by COMINCH in December 1941 . This...
, in which capacity he served until August 29, 1935.
Hospitalized for more than a year, he was discharged from the Naval Hospital, San Diego, on December 15, 1936 and, on March 1, 1937, was transferred to the retired list by reason of physical disability. Rear Admiral Bryant died in Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
on November 4, 1938, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
on November 7, 1938.
Namesake
In 1943, the destroyer BryantUSS Bryant (DD-665)
USS Bryant was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Samuel W. Bryant .Bryant was launched 29 May 1943 by Charleston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. Samuel W...
(DD-665) was named in his honor.