Adolphus Staton

{{Short description|American Medal of Honor recipient (1879–1964)}}

{{Infobox military person

|name= Adolphus Staton

|birth_date= {{Birth date|1879|8|28}}

|death_date= {{Death date and age|1964|6|4|1879|8|28}}

|birth_place= Tarboro, North Carolina, US

|death_place= Chevy Chase, Maryland, US

|placeofburial= Arlington National Cemetery

|image= Adolphus Staton USNA.jpg

|caption= Staton as a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman

|nickname=

|allegiance= United States

|branch=United States Navy

|serviceyears= 1902–1937
1942–1943

|rank= Rear Admiral

|commands= {{USS|Nevada|BB-36|6}}
Destroyer Squadron 6, Battle Fleet
{{USS|Black Hawk|AD-9|6}}
{{USS|Asheville|PG-21|6}}

|unit=

|battles= Battle of Veracruz (1914)
World War I
World War II

|awards= Medal of Honor
Navy Cross

|laterwork=

}}

Adolphus Staton (August 28, 1879 – June 4, 1964) was born in Tarboro, North Carolina, and died in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1902.{{Cite web|url=http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Notables/MOH/index.htm|title=Medal of Honor recipients|publisher= United States Naval Academy|accessdate=2009-03-15| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090305042801/http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Notables/MOH/index.htm| archivedate= 5 March 2009 | url-status= live}}

He received the Medal of Honor for actions at the United States occupation of Veracruz, 1914.{{Cite web|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/mohmex.html|title=Mexican Campaign (Vera Cruz)|publisher= United States Army Center of Military History |access-date=2009-03-15| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090320235222/http://history.army.mil/html/moh/mohmex.html| archive-date= 20 March 2009 | url-status= dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.usna.edu/admissions/Notables/MOH/index.htm|title=USNA Medal of Honor Recipients|publisher= United States Naval Academy|accessdate=2012-08-10}} Staton was awarded the Navy Cross in World War I for his actions when his ship, the USS Mount Vernon, was torpedoed. He worked in Naval Intelligence and attended the Naval War College and Army War College in addition to earning a law degree from George Washington University Law School. Staton retired in 1937 but was recalled to active duty during World War II. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.{{Cite web|url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/adolphus.htm|title=Adolphus Staton|publisher=Arlington National Cemetery|accessdate=2009-03-15}}

Biography

From 1896 to 1897, Staton attended the Virginia Military Institute before enrolling at the University of North Carolina.{{cite web |url=https://archivesweb.vmi.edu/record.php?ID=4537 |title=Adolphus Staton |publisher=Virginia Military Institute |access-date=2025-03-13}} He left to enter the Naval Academy in 1898.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zqgPAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA171 |title=Register of Alumni: Graduates and Former Naval Cadets and Midshipmen |date=July 1, 1956 |page=171 |publisher=The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Inc. |access-date=2025-03-13}}

Staton was promoted to lieutenant commander on August 1, 1915.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XGRbWqCbnhIC&pg=PA26 |title=Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy, U.S. Naval Reserve Force and Marine Corps |date=January 1, 1919 |page=26 |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2025-03-14}} While serving in the office of the Judge Advocate General, he graduated from the George Washington University Law School in 1917. During World War I, Staton received a temporary promotion to commander on July 1, 1918 which was made permanent effective July 1, 1919.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xj0oAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA20 |title=Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps |date=January 1, 1922 |pages=20–21 |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2025-03-14}} From 1921 to 1922, he attended the Naval War College.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/RG19RegisterofOfficers18841977/page/n29/mode/1up |title=Register of Officers 1884–1977 |date=1977 |page=25 |publisher=The United States Naval War College |access-date=2025-03-13}}

From 1923 to 1924, Staton was commanding officer of the gunboat {{USS|Asheville|PG-21|2}}.{{cite web |url=https://www.navsource.org/archives/12/09021.htm |title=Asheville (PG 21) |publisher=NavSource Naval History |access-date=2025-03-14}} From May 1924 to July 1926, he was commander of the destroyer tender {{USS|Black Hawk|AD-9|2}}.{{cite web |url=https://www.navsource.org/archives/09/03/0309.htm |title=USS Black Hawk (AD-9) |publisher=NavSource Naval History |access-date=2025-03-14}} Staton was promoted to captain effective June 4, 1925.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8hAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA14 |title=Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps |date=January 1, 1931 |pages=14–15 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2025-03-14}} From 1926 to 1929, he was assigned to the Bureau of Navigation in Washington, D.C.

From 1929 to 1931, Staton was commander of Destroyer Squadron 6, Battle Fleet. From 1931 to 1932, he attended the Army War College.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t1z7ObBiKGcC&pg=PA18 |title=Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps |date=January 1, 1932 |page=18 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2025-03-14}} From December 1933 to June 1935, Staton was commanding officer of the battleship {{USS|Nevada|BB-36|2}}.{{cite web |url=https://www.navsource.org/archives/01/36a.htm |title=BB-36 USS Nevada |publisher=NavSource Naval History |access-date=2025-03-14}} From 1935 to 1937, he taught at the Army Command and General Staff College.

Staton retired from active duty on June 30, 1937 and was advanced to rear admiral on the retired list. He was recalled to active duty during World War II, serving in the office of the Under Secretary of the Navy.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PND7nKQFHMUC&pg=PA480 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps |date=July 1, 1943 |page=480 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2025-03-14}}

After retirement, Staton lived in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He died at his home there on June 4, 1964.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/06/archives/adolphus-staton-retired-admiral-medal-of-honor-winner-for-veracruz.html |title=Adolphus Staton, Retired Admiral: Medal of Honor Winner for Veracruz Landing Dies |date=June 6, 1964 |page=23 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=2025-03-13}}

Medal of Honor citation

File:Medal of Honor Recipient United States Navy Rear Admiral Adolphus Staton gravestone in Section 4 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia on February 7, 2024.jpg

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Organization: U.S. Navy Born: 28 August 1879, Tarboro, N.C. Accredited to: North Carolina Place/Date: Vera Cruz, Mexico, 22 April 1914

Citation:

For distinguished conduct in battle, engagement of Vera Cruz, 22 April 1914; was eminent and conspicuous in command of his battalion. He exhibited courage and skill in leading his men through the action of the 22d and in the final occupation of the city.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2448/staton-adolphus.php|title=Lieutenant Staton, Adolphus|publisher=Congressional Medal of Honor Society|accessdate=2009-03-15}}

Navy Cross citation

Commander Staton was awarded the Navy Cross on September 23, 1919.

Citation:

For distinguished service in the line of his profession as executive officer of the U. S. S. Mount Vernon when that vessel was torpedoed on September 5, 1918. The discipline manifested by the officers and crew of the Mount Vernon was excellent, and it is considered that the high state of efficiency found to prevail under the trying conditions of the torpedoing and subsequently was largely due to the energy and zeal of this officer.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uSQVKiXzVc8C&pg=PA50 |title=Awarding of Medals in the Naval Service: Hearing Before a Subcommittee on Naval Affairs, United States Senate, Sixty-sixth Congress, Second Session |date=January 16, 1920 |pages=49–50 |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2025-03-13}}

Family

Staton was the son of Dr. Lycurgus Lafayette Staton and his wife Katherine E. (Baker) Staton. He had an older brother and a younger sister.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtQTD_fYUQcC&pg=RA2-PA443 |chapter=Lycurgus Lafayette Staton |first=John A. |last=Wyeth |title=Biographical History of North Carolina: From Colonial Times to the Present |date=1908 |volume=VII |pages=443–446 |publisher=Charles L. Van Noppen, Publisher |location=Greensboro, North Carolina |access-date=2025-03-14}}

On July 28, 1917, Staton married Edith Draper Blair (September 6, 1896 – June 30, 2001) in Silver Spring, Maryland.{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_armed-forces-journal_1917-08-04_54_49/page/1636/mode/1up |title=Births, Marriages and Deaths. |date=August 4, 1917 |volume=LIV |issue=49 |page=1636 |magazine=Army and Navy Journal |access-date=2025-03-14}}{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html#/search-all/results/1/CgZTdGF0b24SBUVkaXRoGgFC/ |title=Staton, Edith B |website=ANCExplorer |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=2025-03-14}} She was the granddaughter of William F. Draper and Montgomery Blair.{{cite news |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1920-10-17/ed-1/?sp=14 |title=Miss Minna Blair a Bride |date=October 17, 1920 |page=14 |newspaper=The New York Herald |access-date=2025-03-14}} Staton and his wife had one daughter.

Gallery

File:Officers of USS Chicago ca. 1903 (NH 104851).jpg|Staton as a midshipman, standing third from the right in the back row in this photograph of the officers of the protected cruiser {{USS|Chicago|1885|6}}, ca. 1903.

File:NH 44786 Lieutenant Adolphus Staton, USN.jpg|Staton as a lieutenant, ca. 1914.