Jesse Barrett Oldendorf (1887 - 1974)

Born 16 Feb 1887 in Riverside, California, United States

Husband of Elizabeth Maude (Funk) Oldendorf — married about 1927 in Pennsylvania, United States

Died 27 Apr 1974 at age 87 in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Jesse Barrett Oldendorf^[1][2] was born on 16 February 1887,^[2][3] in Riverside, California,^[3] to Joseph M. Oldendorf and Minerva J. Barrett.^{[4] [5]}

In 1900, he was living with his parents and siblings in Riverside, Riverside County, California. He was a student. ^[4]

He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1905. ^[6]

In 1909, he graduated from the Naval Academy.^[2]

In 1910, he was an officer in the US Navy, serving on the USS California. ^[7]

He was commissioned in 1911. (See his Wikipedia article for more details about his service.^[3][2])

He married Amelia Caroline Bull. Their engagement was announced on 5 September 1912, ^[1] and the marriage license was issued in San Francisco in December 1912. ^[8] They had at least two children:

Edith Allen Bull (1914-1993)

John Bull Sterling (1920-1988)

In 1920, he was living in King George Drive, Annapolis, Anna Arundel County, Maryland, with his wife Amlia [sic], their daughter Edythe, and a lodger. He was an instructor at the Naval Academy. ^[9]

A marriage license was issued for him and Elizabeth Maude Funk, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The notice was published on 31 December 1927. ^[10] Presumably, the license was issued in December 1927, and they were married in December 1927 or January 1928.

In 1929, he graduated from the Naval War College.^[11]

In 1930, he, his wife, and his stepdaughters, were living at 3000 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC. Jesse was a US Navy officer, who had been attending school. ^[12]

In 1930, he graduated from the Army War College.^[11]

On 1 March 1938, he was promoted to Captain.^[2]

In 1940, he and Elizabeth were living with his stepdaughter Elizabeth at 402 Royal Hawaiian Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii, which they were renting for $100 a month. He was a lineman in the US Navy, and had earned $5,000 in 1939. ^[13]

On 30 June 1942, he was promoted to Rear Admiral.^[2]

Jesse Oldendorf is Notable.

He commanded the US naval forces in the Battle of Surigao Straits, which was part of the Battle for Leyte Gulf. He is famous for winning by crossing the "T" of the Japanese force.^[2][3]

In January 1945, he received a Gold Star, in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal, 'for his service as commander of all fire support groups in the attack on Saipain and Tinian islands'. ^[14]

He was commandant of the 11th Naval District from 1946 to 1948. In 1948, he retired as commander of the Western Sea Frontier. He was promoted to Admiral when he retired.^[2]

The medals he was awarded include these:^[3][2]

Navy Cross with one gold star

Navy Distinguished Service Medal with two gold stars

Army Distinguished Service Medal

Legion of Merit with two gold stars

Purple Heart

Jesse died on 27 April 1974, in the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia. ^[2] He was buried at sea. ^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 'Naval Man Will Wed', The Los Angeles Times, Friday 6 September 1912, p.3, col.3; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/380167537/ : accessed 7 December 2020).

   'NAVAL MAN WILL WED

   'Ensign Oldendorf of the Preble Will Lead Daughter of Kentucky to the Altar.

   '[By Federal (Wireless) Line to The Times.]

   'SAN FRANCISCO BUREAU OF THE TIMES, Sept. 5.—[Special Dispatch.] The engagement of Miss Amelia Caroline Bull and Jesse Barrett Oldendorf, U.S.N., is announced today by Miss Bull's mother, Mrs. George Alexander Newman, Jr., of Louisville, Ky. Miss Bull has been spending the summer with her sister, Mrs. Ralph Stewart, at Mare Island. Ensign Oldendorf is attached to the Preble at San Diego, but expected to be ordered North shortly. It is probably that the wedding will take place at Mare Island.'

2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} 'Jesse Barrett Oldendorf, USN', uboat.net (https://www.uboat.net/allies/commanders/5008.html : accessed 7 July 2021).

   includes many details about his career

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} 'Jesse B. Oldendorf', Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_B._Oldendorf : accessed 7 December 2020).

   Jesse Barrett Oldendorf

   born Riverside California 16 February 1887

   graduated US Naval Academy 1909, commissioned 1911

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} 1900 U.S. census, precinct 7, Riverside Township, Riverside County, California, population schedule, enumeration district 210, p.130 A stamped = sheet 3 A penned, family 58; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6WMS-6LJ : accessed 7 July 2021); citing National Archives, microfilm series T623, roll 96; indexed under 'Olderndorf'.

   247 East Caitlin [??], owned, free, farm

   head Joseph Oldendorf, white, male, May 1855, 45, married 20 years, born Illinois, father born Germany, mother born Pennsylvania, farmer

   wife Minerva J -, white, female, Sep 1850, 49, married 20 years, 3 children, 3 living, born Indiana, father born Virginia, mother born Vermont

   daughter Fannie J -, white, female, Oct 1885, 14, single, born California, student, in school 9 months

   son Jesse B -, white, male, Feb 1887, 13, single, born California, student, in school 9 months

   daughter Rosa B -, white, female, Mar 1890, 10, single, born California, student, in school 9 months

5. ↑ 'Indiana, U.S., Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993', Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60281/ : accessed 8 July 2021).

   Joseph M. Oldendorf and Minerva J. Barrett, married, 7 November 1880, Indianapolic, Marion, Indiana.

6. ↑ 'Riverside Briefs', The Los Angeles Times, Monday, 5 June 1905, p.14, col.3; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/380043867/ : accessed 7 July 2021).

   'Jesse B. Oldendorf, son of Joseph Oldendorf, left yesterday for Annapolis, where he will enter the United States Naval Academy. This is the third son of Riverside who has left here to become an officer in the navy.'

7. ↑ 1910 U.S. census, USS California, Military and Naval Forces, California, population schedule, enumeration district 192, p.123 A stamped = sheet 8 A penned; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB9-9JMR : accessed 7 July 2021); citing National Archives, microfilm series T624, roll 1784.

   Jesse B Oldendorf, male, white, 23, single, born California, father born Illinois, mother born Virginia, U.S. Naval Officer, not out of work 15 April, unemployed 0 weeks in 1909

8. ↑ 'Marriage Licenses San Francisco', The San Francisco Call, Friday, 6 December 1912, p.12, col.1; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/82703457/ : accessed 7 July 2021).

   'OLDENDORF—BULL—Jesse B. Oldendorf, 25, Riverside, and Amelia C. Bull, 19, Louisville, Kentucky.'

9. ↑ 1920 U.S. census, ward 1, Annapolis, Anne Arundel, Maryland, population schedule, enumeration district 23, p.6 A stamped = sheet 6 A penned, family 123; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R6G-735 : accessed 7 December 2020); citing National Archives, microfilm series T625, roll 654.

   King Geo Dr, rented

   head Jesse Oldendorf, male, white, 32, married, born California, parents born California, U.S. Naval Office, Naval Academy

   wife Amlia [sic], female, white, 26, married, born Kentucky, parents born Kentucky, no occupation

   daughter Edythe, female, white, 5, single, born Maryland, father born California, mother born Kentucky, no occupation

   lodger George A Bingley, male, white, 31, single, born New York, father born Virginia, mother born Pennsylvania, instructor, Naval Academy

10. ↑ 'Marriage Licenses', Delaware County Daily Times, Saturday, 31 December 1927, p. 8, col. 8; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/52792074/ : accessed 6 December 2020).

    'The following marriage licenses have been issued in the office of Franklin P. Haller, Register of Wills, at Media:

    ...

    'Jesse B. Oldendorf, of 1832 Spruce street, and Elizabeth F. Thurston, of 4512 Walt street, Philadelphia.'

11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} 'Burial At Sea Set for Retired Admiral', Statesville Record and Landmark, Wednesday, 1 May 1974, p.7, cols.1-2; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/3623612/ : accessed 6 December 2020).

    'Burial At Sea Set For Retired Admiral

    'NORFOLK, Va.(AP)—A private funeral service with burial at sea has been arranged for Ret. Adm. Jesse B. Oldendorf of Norfolk, who commanded naval forces in the Battle of Surigao Straits in the Pacific during World War II.

    'He died Saturday at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital at the age of 87.

    'A native of Riverside, Calif., Oldendorf retired in 1948 as commander of the Western Sea Frontier after serving as commandant of the 11th Naval District from 1946 through 1948.

    'The Battle of Surigao Straits in October 1944 and engagements of Samar and Cape Ingano were part of the Battle for Leyte Gulf, the biggest naval action ever fought.

    'He was a 1909 graduate of the Naval Academy, a 1929 graduate of the Naval War College and a 1930 graduate of the Army War College.

    'Oldendorf was commandant of the U.S. Naval Operations Base in Trinidad, British West Indies, commander of Task Force 24, North Atlantic and commander of Battleship Squadron 1 of the Pacific Fleet before assuming his West Coast command.

    'He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth F. Oldendorf, and a stepdaughter.

    'No time was given for the funeral service.'

12. ↑ 1930 U.S. census, precinct 14, Washington, District of Columbia, population schedule, enumeration district 380, p.22 B stamped = sheet 5 B penned, family 61; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R4C-KQY : accessed 5 December 2020); citing National Archives, microfilm series T626, roll 304.

    Center Cathedral Mansions

    3000 Connecticut Avenue Northwest [household 2, with many families]

    rented, R128 per month, with radio

    head Jesse B Oldendorf, male, white, 43, married first at 24, attended school, born California, father born Illinois, mother born Indiana, officer, US Navy, actually at work last working day, World War veteran

    wife Elizabeth -, female, white, 33, married, first at 20, born Colorado, parents born Pennsylvania

    step-daughter Peggy Thurston, female, white, 10, single, born Colorado, parents born Pennsylvania

    step-daughter Betty -, female, white, 12, single, born California, father born Pennsylvania, mother born Colorado [sic]

13. ↑ 1940 U.S. census, Honolulu, Hawaii, population schedule, enumeration district 2-50, p.596 A stamped = sheet 5 A penned, household 178; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9MB-GXXG : accessed 7 December 2020); citing National Archives, microfilm series T627, roll 4585.

    402 Royal Hawaiian Ave, rented, $100 per month

    head Jesse Oldendorf, male, caucasian, 53, married, finished 17 years of school, born California, worked 40 hours week of 24 April, lineman, US Navy, earned $5,000 in 52 weeks of work in 1939

    wife Elizabeth -, female, caucasian, 44, married, finished 16 years of school, born Colorado [sic], no occupation, earned $0 in 0 weeks work in 1939

    daughter Thurston - [sc. Elizabeth, since Margaret was married in 1938 and Elizabeth in 1942)], female, caucasian, 22, single, finished 16 years of school, born California, no occupation, earned $0 in 0 weeks work in 1939

14. ↑ 'Admiral Oldendorf Gets New Award', Metropolitan Pasadena Star-News, Monday 29 January 1945, p.2, cols.5-6; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/628371917/ : accessed 6 December 2020).

    'Admiral Oldendorf Gets New Award

    'WASHINGTON, Jan. 29. (U.P.)—The Navy announced today that a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal has been awarded to Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf, 51, for his service as commander of all fire support groups in the attack on Saipain and Tinian islands.

    'Oldendorf is a native of Riverside, Cal. His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth F. Oldendorf, is living in Newport, R. I.'

See also

• Jesse Barrett Oldendorf, on FamilySearch's Family Tree

• 'Jesse B. Oldendorf', Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_B._Oldendorf : accessed 7 December 2020).

• Wikidata: Item Q1356563, en:Wikipedia