| Post In The Spotlight | ||
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POST 1921 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHARTERED 10 MAY 1989 
With Moffett Field (formerly NAS) in our back yard, it is fitting that the Post be named for the man generally credited for the success and expansion of Naval Aviation. He was first appointed Chief of Bureau of Naval Aviation (BuAer) in 1921 when military aviation was in its infancy . Born October 31, 1869 at Charleston, South Carolina, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1890. He served on various vessels, including the USS Charleston in Commodore George Dewey’s fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War, and by 1905 had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was promoted to Commander in 1911 and took command of the USS Chester in late 1913. He was aboard it, in Admiral Henry T. Mayo’s Division, when the Tampico Incident occurred on April 9, 1914. He took part in the occupation of Vera Cruz, Mexico, that followed on April 21-22, and was awarded the Medal of Honor for a daring and unguided night entry into the inner harbor to land a force of Marines and Seamen. In 1914-18, he commanded Great Lakes Naval Training Center and the 9th, 10th, and 11th Naval Districts, receiving promotion to Captain in August 1916. During 1918-21, he commanded the USS Mississippi and in March 1921 was appointed Director of Naval Aviation with the temporary rank of Rear Admiral (made permanent in 1923). |
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Too old for flight training, he had qualified in June 1921 as an aerial observer and the creation of the Navy’s Aviation Bureau owes much to his influence. He organized the Navy’s aviation program, exerted influence for the expansion and experimentation, oversaw the selection of sites and building of Naval air stations and accomplished the installation of aircraft landing catapults on all battleships and cruisers of the Fleet. He was particularly enthusiastic about the use of dirigibles, both in Naval operations and more generally, secured for the Navy the airships Los Angeles, Akron and Macon. He was reappointed to head the Bureau in 1925 and again in 1929. Adm. Moffett died on April 4, 1933 in the crash of the Akron in a storm off the New Jersey coast. Because the Akron carried no life vests and there hadn’t been enough time to lower her one life raft, seventy two of her seventy six man crew drowned. He was subsequently buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery. Post 1921 was chartered May 10, 1989 with Don “Pat” Patterson (R0988) as our first CO, followed by John Hassenplug. Upon his election, John asked how long his term would be—answered “Until you find someone to replace you.” Our ‘games season’ runs from April until October and our Color Guard keeps busy year-round with many events here in Northern California. Our Post patch was designed by Larry “Fluffy” MacDuff (R2283). 
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