Robert F. Lopez
Robert Files Lopez (March 31, 1857 – September 20, 1936) was an officer in the United States Navy.{{cite news |url=https://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=FB0F15FC3D5D1B7B93C3A9178BD95F428385F9 |title=Commodore Lopez, 77, Manila Veteran, Dies; Former Commandant of Mare Island Retired in 1911; Served in World War |work=New York Times |date=October 1, 1936|page=25}} He entered Annapolis with the Class of 1879, and he became the first Hispanic-American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy.
Biography
Lopez served as an ensign aboard the {{USS|Thetis|1881|6}} during a voyage of exploration around Alaska in 1888–89.{{cite book|title=The Cruise of the Thetis: A Cruise of Ten Thousand Miles in Alaskan Waters |first=Alfred P. |last=Swineford |authorlink=Alfred P. Swineford |year=1888 |url=http://library.alaska.gov/hist/hist_docs/docs/asl_ms004_06_06.pdf |location=Alaska State Library}} Lopez Point on Herschel Island was named in his honor by the commander of Thetis, Charles Stockton.{{cite journal| journal=Arctic |volume=64 |issue=4 |date=December 2011 |pages=459–464 |title=Toponymy of Herschel Island (Qikiqtaryuk), Western Arctic Coast, Canada |first1=C.R. |last1=Burn |first2=John B. |last2=Hattendorf |doi=10.14430/arctic4145 |access-date=3 August 2012 |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic64-4-459.pdf}}
The highlight of his 32-year naval career, was his service under Admiral Dewey's command at the first major engagement of the Spanish–American War, the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898.
Shortly after the war ended, Lopez became a plankowner of the torpedo boat USS Rowan (TB-8) when she was commissioned on 1 April 1899.
Following his assignment to Rowan, Lopez commanded the destroyer {{USS|Preble|DD-12|3}} from 1904 to 1906.{{cite web |url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/012.htm |title=USS Preble DD-12 |publisher=navsource.org |year=2012 |access-date=3 August 2013}}
Captain Lopez's last posting before retirement was as senior member of a naval board which conducted a general survey of vessels on the Pacific coast. He retired as a Commodore (Rear Admiral) in 1911.{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/07/04/104870463.pdf |title=Navy Board Retires Fourteen Officers; Some Well Worth Keeping in Service, but Must Make Way for Younger Men |work=The New York Times |date=July 4, 1911 |page=13}}
Upon America's entry into World War I in 1917, Lopez was recalled to duty as acting commandant of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, located northeast of San Francisco.
Commodore Lopez died in Alameda, California after a year's illness at the age of 77.
Awards
Dates of rank
- Cadet Midshipman - 29 September 1874
- Midshipman - 10 June 1881
- Ensign (junior grade) - 3 March 1883
- Ensign - 26 June 1884
- Lieutenant (junior grade) - 16 April 1892
- Lieutenant - 1 April 1896
- Lieutenant Commander - 11 April 1902
- Commander - 1 July 1907
- Captain - c. March 1911
- Commodore, Retired list - 30 June 1911
See also
References
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Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War I
Category:United States Navy commodores
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