| Herbert Omar Dunn | |
|---|---|
 Dunn in 1915 | |
| Born | May 19, 1857 Westerly, Rhode Island |
| Died | March 6, 1939 (1939-03-07) (aged 81) Baltimore, Maryland |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1877–1921 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
Herbert Omar Dunn (May 19, 1857 – March 6, 1939) was a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy.
Early years
He was born on May 19, 1857, in Westerly, Rhode Island. In 1877, as a cadet, Dunn sailed on the sloop-of-war Constellation on a voyage to the South Atlantic.
Career
Appointed ensign on 12 March 1881, Dunn was successively promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) on 1 July 1887, lieutenant on 17 February 1893, and lieutenant commander on 1 July 1900.
By 1917, in the middle of the Great War, and now a vice-admiral, he was appointed the first commander of U.S. naval forces stationed at the U.S. Naval Base at Ponta Delgada, Azores. Dunn distinguished himself with the help he provided to the civil population when the great 1918 flu pandemic killed 2,000 people on the island.
In 1919 Dunn was in put in charge of an inquiry of homosexual activities among naval personnel at Newport, Rhode Island Navy bases.
Inventions
As an inventor, in 1889 he designed and patented the Dunn Anchor. This new anchor had many distinct advantages over old style maritime stock anchors used at that time. It had great holding power due to its moveable shanks and could be applied in applications of 200 to 20,000 pounds. Accepted by the American Bureau of Shipping, the Dunn Anchor thus became the standard for ships worldwide to date. He also held the patents for several other marine appliances.
Later years
Dunn retired in 1921 with the rank of Rear Admiral, and died in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 6, 1939.
References
- ^ "Admiral H.O. Dunn. Fought In 2 Wars. Ex-commander Of Fifth Battle Division Of U.S. Fleet Dies In Baltimore At 81. His Anchor Used By Navy. Saw Service In Boxer, Cuban And Philippine Campaigns And The World Conflict". New York Times. Associated Press. February 14, 1939.
- "US Navy Officers: 1778-1900". history.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 7 July 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2010.