Walter McLean (Admiral)
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral Walter McLean (c. 1855-1930) was the American
commander of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
from November 25, 1915 until February 4, 1918. Under his command, the Shipyard was the holding area for various German vessels which had put into port during World War I
, and stayed in a somewhat limbo
status—the United States had not entered the war and so could not commandeer the ships, but then neither could the ships be allowed to depart and resume attacks on Allied
shipping. The course of action was therefore to keep the foreign ships and their crews as "guests" of the United States for years.
One of the ships thus detained was the , a German
passenger liner which had had guns installed and been turned into a commerce raider for the Imperial German Navy. When the United States did enter the war in 1917, the ship was renamed as the USS Von Steuben and turned into a troop transport.
McLean maintained friendly relations with some of the "guest" crew. When the second-in-command of the Kronprinz Wilhelm, Alfred Niezychowski
, got married in 1927, McLean was best man. McLean also encouraged Niezychowski to write a book about the journey, and McLean wrote his own forward to it when it was published in 1928 as The Cruise of the Kronprinz Wilhelm.
During World War I, McLean was commander of the Fifth Naval District, and also commandant of the Navy Base at Hampton Roads
. According to the New York Times, he was with Admiral George Dewey
at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, during the Spanish-American War
.
He died of a stroke at the Navy Hospital in Annapolis, at the age of 75.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
commander of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
from November 25, 1915 until February 4, 1918. Under his command, the Shipyard was the holding area for various German vessels which had put into port 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...
, and stayed in a somewhat limbo
Limbo
In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
status—the United States had not entered the war and so could not commandeer the ships, but then neither could the ships be allowed to depart and resume attacks on Allied
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
shipping. The course of action was therefore to keep the foreign ships and their crews as "guests" of the United States for years.
One of the ships thus detained was the , a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
passenger liner which had had guns installed and been turned into a commerce raider for the Imperial German Navy. When the United States did enter the war in 1917, the ship was renamed as the USS Von Steuben and turned into a troop transport.
McLean maintained friendly relations with some of the "guest" crew. When the second-in-command of the Kronprinz Wilhelm, Alfred Niezychowski
Alfred Niezychowski
Alfred Graf von Niezychowski was a Polish noble, a German Count, a Lieutenant Commander of a German commerce raider ship during World War I, an author and lecturer, and a Michigan political candidate for public office....
, got married in 1927, McLean was best man. McLean also encouraged Niezychowski to write a book about the journey, and McLean wrote his own forward to it when it was published in 1928 as The Cruise of the Kronprinz Wilhelm.
During World War I, McLean was commander of the Fifth Naval District, and also commandant of the Navy Base at Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. According to the New York Times, he was with Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, 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 died of a stroke at the Navy Hospital in Annapolis, at the age of 75.