Arthur Schuyler Carpender

Admiral, U.S. Navy

Arthur Schuyler Carpender (a direct descendant of Wolphert Gerretse Van Kouwenhoven) was born on 24 October 1884 to John Neilson Carpender and Anna Neilson Kemp.

Carpender graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1908. In 1913, Ensign Carpender served aboard the battleship USS Utah (BB-31). During World War I, Lieutenant Carpender commanded the destroyer USS Fanning (DD-37). On 17 November 1917, Fanning and USS Nicholson (DD-52) sank the German U-boat SM U-58, taking the crew prisoner.

Carpender was Commander, Destroyers Atlantic Fleet from December 1941 to June 1942. He was assigned to General Douglas MacArthur's Southwest Pacific Force on 11 September 1942 succeeding Admiral Herbert F. Leary. Although disagreeing on the deployment of the small naval force, particularly on sending Allied destroyers and submarines to support Australian forces near Buna during the Lilliput Plan, Carpender worked with MacArthur to resolve the severe supply shortages hindering "MacArthur's Navy" (later reorganized as the U.S. 7th Fleet on 19 February 1943).

Observing the capabilities of PT boats during his evacuation from the Philippines, MacArthur encouraged their use, and Carpender effectively made use of the torpedo boats during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea on 25 March 1943. Along with Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbed, Carpender would oversee the fleet's operations during Operation Cartwheel.

Replaced by Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid on 26 November, Carpender commanded the Ninth Naval District from 3 January 1944 until 2 September 1945, during which time the construction of the USS Manabí (SS-375) would be sponsored by Carpenter's wife.

Upon his retirement in November 1946, he was advanced in rank to four-star Admiral. *

* The Act of Congress of 4 March 1925, allowed Navy officers to be promoted one grade upon retirement if they had been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. These promotions were colloquially known as "tombstone promotions" because they conferred the prestige of the higher rank but not the additional retirement pay, so their only practical benefit was to allow recipients to engrave a loftier title on their business cards and tombstones. An Act of Congress on 23 February 1942, enabled tombstone promotions to three- and four-star grades.

Death and Burial

Admiral Arthur Schuyler Carpender lived in retirement with his wife, Helena, until his death in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC, on 10 January 1960. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.