Washington Irving Chambers
Encyclopedia
Captain Washington Irving Chambers, USN (1856–1934) was a United States Navy
officer who played a major role in the early development of Naval aviation
, serving as the first officer to have oversight of the Navy's aviation program.
Chambers was born in Kingsport
, New York in 1856 and graduated from the United States Naval Academy
in 1876. He served in various sea and shore billets from that time onwards, including on the celebrated Greely Relief Expedition under Winfield Scott Schley
. In 1907-09, he was Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
. Later on, he was placed in charge of the development of aviation in the Bureau of Navigation. Among his other accomplishments, Captain Chambers arranged for the first take-off and landing of an airplane on a ship, pioneered work on torpedoes, and submitted one of the first American designs for an all-big-gun battleship.
Chambers Field in Norfolk, Virginia, dedicated in June 1938, was named in his honor, as is a U.S. Navy vessel
under construction as of March 2010.
Many of his papers are held by the U.S. Library of Congress
.
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...
officer who played a major role in the early development of 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...
, serving as the first officer to have oversight of the Navy's aviation program.
Chambers was born in Kingsport
Kingsport
Kingsport may refer to:* Kingsport, Tennessee, a city in the US state of Tennessee* Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA MSA, a US Metropolitan Statistical Area* Kingsport Mets, a minor league baseball team based in Kingsport, Tennessee...
, New York in 1856 and graduated from 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 1876. He served in various sea and shore billets from that time onwards, including on the celebrated Greely Relief Expedition under Winfield Scott Schley
Winfield Scott Schley
Winfield Scott Schley was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and the hero of the Battle of Santiago Bay during the Spanish-American War.-Civil War:...
. In 1907-09, he was Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
. Later on, he was placed in charge of the development of aviation in the Bureau of Navigation. Among his other accomplishments, Captain Chambers arranged for the first take-off and landing of an airplane on a ship, pioneered work on torpedoes, and submitted one of the first American designs for an all-big-gun battleship.
Chambers Field in Norfolk, Virginia, dedicated in June 1938, was named in his honor, as is a U.S. Navy vessel
USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE-11)
USNS Washington Chambers is a of the United States Navy, named in honor of Captain Washington Chambers , a pioneer in US naval aviation. The contract to build Washington Chambers was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company on 12 December 2008...
under construction as of March 2010.
Many of his papers are held by the U.S. Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
See also
Stein, Stephen K. From Torpedoes to Aviation: Washington Irving Chambers & Technological Innovation in the New Navy 1876 to 1913 (University of Alabama Press, 2007)Legacy
- On December 2, 2008, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter announced that the eleventh ship (T-AKE 11) of the Lewis and Clark class of dry-cargo-ammunition vessels would be named for Captain Chambers.
- On September 11, 2010 the Washington Chambers was christened and launched. The ship's sponsor was Mrs. Loretta Penn. The Washington Chambers will be commanded by Captain Mike Flanagan.
External links
- A Brief History of U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers - Part I: The Early Years - From the Chief of Naval Information, U.S. Navy
- bluejacket.com U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Historic Air Fields Post World War I - Reference to Chambers Field
- WASHINGTON IRVING CHAMBERS: INNOVATION, PROFESSIONALIZATION, AND THE NEW NAVY, 1872-1919 dissertation abstract