Richard Henry Leigh
Admiral, U.S. Navy

Richard Henry Leigh was born on 12 August 1870 in Batesville, MS, the son of Elbridge Garry and Susan Gattis Leigh. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1891.

Leigh served in the Spanish-American War and was serving onboard the battleship USS Oregon during the Boxer uprising in China in 1900.

He was among the Navy Officers convened to investigate the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. While Assistant Chief, Bureau of Engineering, he helped develop listening devices for hunting submarines.

Partial List of Assignments:

Commanding Officer, USS Galveston 1913-15
Assistant Chief, Bureau of Engineering until 1918
Chief of Staff, US. Naval Forces in Europe 1918-19
Assistant Chief, Bureau of Navigation 1919-20
Commanding Officer, USS Tennessee until 1924
Student, Naval War College 1924-25
Chief of Staff, United States Fleet 1926-27
Chief, Bureau of Navigation 1927-30
Commander, Battleships, Battle Force 1930-31
Commander-in-Chief, Battle Force 1931-32
Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet 1932-33
Chairman, Navy General Board 1933-34

Leigh retired in 1934 as a Vice Admiral. He was advanced to the four-star rank of Admiral on the retired list with date of rank 16 Jun 1942, as highest rank held on the active list.

Personal

Leigh married Minnie Hartwell Barksdale on 15 February 1897 and they had no children. Minnie died on 9 February 1966 and is buried next to her husband.

Death and Burial

Admiral Richard Henry Leigh died on 4 February 1946 at Long Beach, CA. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, in Section 4, Site 3055 SS.