Charles Armijo Woodruff
{{Short description|US Navy officer and governor of American Samoa}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Charles Armijo Woodruff
|honorific-suffix =
|image = Charles Armijo Woodruff.jpg
|alt =
|caption = At Annapolis in 1906
|office = Governor of American Samoa
|term_start = December 6, 1914
|term_end = March 1, 1915
|lieutenant =
|predecessor = Nathan Post
|successor = John Martin Poyer
|birth_date = January 12, 1884
|birth_place = Santa Fe, New Mexico
|death_date = {{Death date and age|1945|11|23|1884|01|12}}
|death_place = Hotel Bossert, Brooklyn, New York City
|party =
|spouse =
|alma_mater = United States Naval Academy
|occupation = Ship captain
|religion =
|signature =
|signature_alt=
|nickname =
|allegiance = {{flag|United States|1912}}
|branch = {{nowrap|File:United States Department of the Navy Seal.svg}} United States Navy
|serviceyears =
|unit =
|commands = USS Pampanga (PG-39)
|battles =
|awards =
}}
Charles Armijo Woodruff (January 12, 1884 – November 23, 1945) was a United States Navy officer and the governor of American Samoa from December 6, 1914, to March 1, 1915. He captained multiple ships in both the Navy and the United States Merchant Marine. He served only briefly as governor, for a few months before ceding the office to John Martin Poyer.
Life
Woodruff was born on January 12, 1884, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the son of Charles Woodruff and Louise (Duff) Woodruff.{{cite web|title=Lieutenant Charles Armijo Woodruff|url=http://americansamoa.gov/governors/woodruff.htm|work=Governors|publisher=Government of American Samoa|accessdate=30 June 2010|year=2009}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} After leaving the United States Navy, Woodruff became a part of the United States Merchant Marine, captaining a ship. On November 23, 1945, Woodruff died by suicide by hanging in an apartment in Hotel Bossert, Brooklyn, New York City, using the venetian blinds cord in his room. A suicide note claimed he had killed himself because he had no means of making money and "missed his boat", and that suicide provided the "easiest way out".{{cite news|title=Ship Captain Ends Life: Despondent, He Hangs Himself in Room in a Brooklyn Hotel|newspaper=The New York Times|date=24 November 1945|agency=The New York Times Company|location=New York City|page=21}}
Naval career
Woodruff was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from Pennsylvania on September 24, 1902.{{cite book|title=List and station of the commissioned and warrant officers of the Navy of the United States: and of the Marine Corps, on the active list, and officers on the retired list employed on active duty|year=1898|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|url=https://archive.org/details/listandstationc00deptgoog|quote=Charles Armijo Woodruff.|accessdate=30 June 2010|page=48|location=Washington, D.C.}} In 1906, he commanded the USS Pampanga (PG-39) as a Lieutenant (junior grade).{{cite book|title=United States Congressional Serial Set|year=1912|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-cZZ3OA5qTEC&q=%22Charles+Armijo+Woodruff%22&pg=PA42|accessdate=30 June 2010|location=Washington, D.C.|page=42|issue=6220}} Woodruff retired from the Navy with the rank of Commander.
Governorship
Woodruff relieved Nathan Post of the governor's office on December 6, 1914, serving until March 1, 1915.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Governors of American Samoa}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodruff, Charles Armijo}}
Category:Governors of American Samoa
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:Suicides by hanging in New York City
Category:United States Merchant Mariners
Category:United States Navy officers
Category:Politicians from Santa Fe, New Mexico
Category:Military personnel from New Mexico
Category:American politicians who died by suicide