pchepurko Posted July 5, 2010 Share #1 Posted July 5, 2010 I got the group several years ago and finally got around to doing some research. u was able to get a 1920 Navy Registery and found out Bennett was born in 1874. He was from NY and was appointed to the USNA in 1891 from the state of NJ He graduated in 1897 as a ensign on July 1. I assume he was in the class of 1897. I believe that the USNA was 6 years, rather then 4 back then.During the WWI he commanded the USS New Orleans CL-22. In 1921 he was a permanent commander and temporary captain as Commanding Opr. Des. Squad Altantic Fleet. Below are pics of his cap, boards, belt buckle and ribbon bars. The middle bar seems to be the most complete. I can't identify all the ribbons. If someone can help I would appreciate it. Also if anyone has any additional info please let me know. I would like to know where and when Bennett died. I tried the SSN index with no luck. I also checked to see if he was in Arlington and no luck. Also if someone can confirm that before 1900 Annapolis was 6 years please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share #2 Posted July 5, 2010 cap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share #3 Posted July 5, 2010 other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted July 6, 2010 Share #4 Posted July 6, 2010 The ribbons are the Navy Cross, Sampson, Spanish/West Indies, Philippine, 1916 Dominican and WWI Victory. Around the turn of the century, after four years under instruction at the USNA it was necessary to serve an additional two years as a "past midshipman" before being commissioned as an ensign. The two years were usually active sea duty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share #5 Posted July 6, 2010 Thank you for the help. Captain Bennett had an interesting career. In the near future I will be at the USNA and should be able to dig up a pic of him in his class year book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Nier Posted July 6, 2010 Share #6 Posted July 6, 2010 Bennett does not appear in my copy of the 1939 Navy Register, which lists both active and retired officers. So it appears he was deceased by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom2001 Posted July 6, 2010 Share #7 Posted July 6, 2010 Bennett, Kenneth Marratt born 25 Nov 1874 USNA class of 1895 retired 20 Jun 1930 Died 25 Jan 1935, Brooklyn, NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share #8 Posted July 6, 2010 Thank you all for the help. I have dug up some additional info on Bennett. He was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Hackensack, NJ where he attend High School and graduated in the class of 1891. He was accepted into the USNA in 1891 with the class of 1895. After completing 2 years of sea service he was commissioned and ensign in 1897. He participated in the Spanish-American War but I do not know what ship he was on. During the 1915 Haiti campaign he was the commander of the gunboat USS Castine. I believe that he followed command of the Castine with command of the CL-22 New Orleans during WWI when he was awarded the Navy Cross. He retired in 1930 to Hacksensack, NJ where is lived with his 2 sisters. He died in 1935 and is buried in Hackensack Cememtary with his parents and sisters. He also had a brother who lived in Denver. Now here is where this gets interesting. I have had this group for about 2 years and never got around to researching Captain Bennett. I was provided with Bennett's obituary from the NY Times where it was printed since he died in the Navy Hospital. The NY Times Obituary told me where he lived and where he was buried. The great part is that Hackensack, NJ is 15 minutes from where I live! So today I went to the cemetary and got information about him and pics of the gravestone. I then went to the Hackensack Library and got his local obituary. It seems like he and his sisters were never married so there is no next of kin. So I think my research is at a dead end. If anyone knows Bennett's award date for the Navy Cross I would like to know. There maybe an announcement in the local paper with a pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share #9 Posted July 6, 2010 Cemetary info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share #10 Posted July 6, 2010 death info part 1 - 5th line from bottom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share #11 Posted July 6, 2010 death info part 2 - 5th line from bottom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share #12 Posted July 6, 2010 death info part 3 - 5th line from bottom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted July 6, 2010 gravestone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted July 6, 2010 Share #14 Posted July 6, 2010 Ensign Bennett was assigned to the USS Amphitrite during the Span Am War. This ship was a monitor. On August 6th, 1898, he was second in command of a 35 man landing party that went ashore to capture a Lighthouse at Cape San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Must have been hell getting that thing back to the ship!). Anyway, this landing party received a boat action bar for their Sampson Medal that was awarded only to these 35 men. Too bad you don't have his Sampson Medal, as it would be a true rarity. All this info came from the Sampson Medal roster booklet compilied by Col Albert Gleim 20+ years ago. A very historical set of ribbons. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaosDad Posted July 6, 2010 Share #15 Posted July 6, 2010 Nice research! He lived to see first flight to the birth of modern Naval Aviation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted September 20, 2010 Author Share #16 Posted September 20, 2010 A visit to the USNA turned up Bennett's class pic but there is no listing on who's who in the class pic! I was able to detail Bennett's career using the Navy Registries at the Academy library. Also the library archive has his class information information with demerits and info. It was interesting reading. The class pic and career info is below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pchepurko Posted September 20, 2010 Author Share #17 Posted September 20, 2010 Career info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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