Description:

U.S. Navy
various, ca. 1889-1944
Span-Am. & WWI Veteran Naval Service Record: Navy Cross Recip't Accused of Graft & Private Use of Gov't Stores!
Archive

The personnel file and naval service record of Robert Rohange (1867-1949), a Danish-born career officer in the U.S. Navy, who served in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Campaign, the China Campaign, and World War I. The archive of 100+ original and retained clerical documents, many signed and docketed, ranges in date from ca. 1889-1944, with the majority from 1889-1920. It also includes paperwork related to Rohange's son, Lieutenant Valentine P. Rohange (1907-1989). Housed in a bound volume missing its cover and with a partly deteriorated spine. Expected weathering including toning, weathering, stains, and chipped edges, else legible and good. The overall size is approximately 10.5" x 11.5" x 2.5."

Notable U.S. Navy signatories found within the archive include:

- John Davis Long (1838-1915), as Secretary of the U.S. Navy

- Charles J. Bonaparte (1851-1921), as Secretary of the U.S. Navy

- Josephus Daniels (1862-1948), as Secretary of the U.S. Navy

- Richard Worsam Meade III (1837-1897), as Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard

- John E. Pillsbury (1846-1919), as Acting Chief & Assistant of Bureau of Navigation

This is a fascinating and (baffling!) collection of official U.S. Navy correspondence and private letters related to Robert Rohange, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1885 and eventually served for nearly 50 years. Rohange served as a seaman, a gunner, and a boatswain, and finally retired as a lieutenant, senior grade. While the majority of the paperwork herein is routine, consisting of proficiency reports, claim settlements, leave requests, assignments, relocations, and promotions, the personnel file also contains disciplinary reports and investigations, rather complicating our picture of Rohange.

Rohange was subject to no fewer than six accusations of dereliction of duty or conduct unbecoming an officer, in 1906, 1907, 1908, 1912, 1913, and 1920. Remarkably, Rohange withstood all of these potentially career-ending accusations. He ended up commanding his own vessels by World War I, and being awarded a 1919 Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in combat. So, who was the real Rohange? A drunken white-collar criminal, or a war hero commanding a North Atlantic minesweeper? Was he both?! More research is definitely needed!

Rohange served much of his naval career aboard a series of vessels including the U.S.R.S. Vermont, U.S.R.S. Independence, U.S.R.S. Hancock, U.S.S. Buffalo, U.S.S. Alida, U.S.S. Monongahela, U.S.S. Hartford, U.S.S Albatross, U.S.S. Cleveland, and the minesweepers U.S.S. Quail and U.S.S. Mallard. He also spent time at the Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island and the Naval Coal Depot at Bradford, Rhode Island.

Rohange's rather checkered record includes:

- November 1900, multiple discrepancies in Rohange's birth name and birth date

- June-December 1906, Rohange is accused of drunkenness, abuse of men, incompetence, negligence, and wrongful termination of employees

- August 1907, Rohange is accused of using violent language and threatening violence: "I am very sorry to say that this gentleman has for the past six months been very discourteous with everyone as well as myself, even descending to administer corporal punishment and always when under the influence of liquor…"

- August 1908, Rohange is accused of "working the men and plant on Sunday, selling coal that was allowed him, working the help overtime and also on their half holiday, padding the payroll and using the government to trim coal on vessels that a stevedore has a contract for…"

- March 1912, Rohange is accused of private use of government stores and government labor

- June 1913, Rohange is accused of "astonishing graft"

- November 1920, Rohange is involved in the reported overissue shortage of $2,100.24 aboard the U.S.S. Quail and is accused of being "grossly negligent in your performance of duty… fail[ing] to exercise proper supervision over the… performance of duty of enlisted personnel under your command…"

Lieutenant Robert Rohange commanded the U.S.S. Quail (Minesweeper No. 15) as part of the Atlantic Fleet Minesweeping Squadron during World War I.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Dimensions:
  • volume: 10.5" x 11.5" x 2.5"
  • Artist Name:
  • U.S. Navy
  • Medium:
  • Archive<br />

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