Arthur P. Fairfield
Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy

Arthur P. Fairfield was born on 29 October 1877 in Saco, ME.

Fairfield served on the protected cruiser USS Columbia during the Spanish-American War, before graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1901.

In World War I, Commander Fairfield commissioned the destroyer USS Gregory on 1 June 1918, and while commanding the destroyer USS McDougal earned the Navy's second highest award for valor, the Navy Cross for his "prompt and efficient action in contact on September 8 with a submarine which attempted an attack upon a convoy."

Captain Fairfield commanded the heavy cruiser USS Chester from 1930-32, and in 1936 commanded Squadron 40-T, a special temporary squadron organized to evacuate American Nationals from the Spanish Civil War areas. With the light cruiser USS Raleigh as his flagship, Rear Admiral Fairfield sailed with the destroyers USS Kane and USS Hatfield and the Coast Guard Cutter Cayuga to Spain, where he saved hundreds of Americans and other nationals from the dangers of the war.

In 1938-39 Fairfield served as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations and, in 1939-40, was Commander of Battleship Division Three of the U.S. Fleet.

Fairfield retired from the Navy in 1941, but was called back to active duty after the U.S. entered World War II. He served as an advisor to the Maritime Commission, and was Chairman of the Board of Medals and Decorations, among other duties. Fairfield retired again in 1945.

Honors

The Liberty ship, launched in June 1944 as the William Hodson, which served as the Chung Tung under Lend-Lease to the Republic of China, was renamed Arthur P. Fairfield in 1947, then Admiral Arthur P. Fairfield in 1948, while being operated by the American Pacific Steamship Company.

Death and Burial

Vice Admiral Arthur P. Fairfield died on 14 December 1946 in Bethesda, MD. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.