John E. Gingrich
Born in Dodge City, Kansas on February 23, 1897, John E. Gingrich was the son of Edward Grant and Bertha Gingrich. Gingrich served as a legislator and mayor of Dodge City.
Gingrich attended public schools in his youth and attended the University of Kansas in 1915. He attended the naval academy in Annapolis, Maryland and graduated with a commission of Ensign in 1919. He first served on the U.S.S. Pennsylvania, then on the Maryland, Idaho and New Mexico as well as the cruiser's Rochester and Indianapolis. He was an instructor at Annapolis from 1925-1927 and was a part of the Naval Reserve Officer's Training Group at Northwestern University from 1930-1932.
In 1932 Gingrich was given his first command of the U.S.S. Algoma. From 1937-1939 he was assigned as a secretary aboard the U.S.S. Idaho and later as the navigator officer aboard the U.S.S. New Mexico. From 1940-1944 he served as an aide to Admiral Forrestal and was given command yet again in 1945 of the U.S.S. Pittsburgh.
After the war, Gingrich made a notable contribution to the U.S. Navy as an assistant chief of naval operations and director of the naval reserve (1946-1947) From 1947-1949 he was a security director attached to the Atomic Energy Commission. After that he served as chief of staff to the commander of the Pacific Fleet from 1950-1951 and was present during the Korean War. He was promoted to vice admiral in 1953 and made deputy chief of naval operations. He finally retired in 1954 and and spent his remaining years in the private sector serving as vice president of the International Telephone & Telegraph Corporation for which he remained until his death in May 1960.
Entry: Gingrich, John E.
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: July 2015
Date Modified: January 2016
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
