Frank Newcomb
| Frank H. Newcomb | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Birth name | Frank Hamilton Newcomb |
| Born |
10 November 1846 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | 20 February 1934 (aged 87) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/ |
|
| Years of service |
|
| Rank |
 Commodore
|
| Commands held | USRC Hudson |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
 Cardenas Medal
|
| Spouse(s) | Rose Prioleau Newcomb (wife) |
Frank Hamilton Newcomb (10 November 1846 – 20 February 1934) was a United States Revenue Cutter Service commodore, best known for his actions at the Battle of Cárdenas during the Spanish–American War.
Newcomb was born in Boston, Massachusetts on 10 November 1846, the oldest of three children. His father, Hiram Newcomb was a merchant sea captain and Frank sailed on his fathers ship at an early age. At the age of sixteen he served on another merchant ship that made an around the world trading voyage.
In 1863 at the age of 17, Newcomb received a U.S. Navy officer's appointment as acting master's mate aboard the mortar schooner USS Para. As a part of the Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the American Civil War, Para served through many engagements. In early 1865, Newcomb was transferred to USS Arethusa, which was a coaling vessel home-ported at Port Royal, South Carolina. At the conclusion of the war, Newcomb resigned from the Navy and attempted to make a living as a merchant and as an officer on a merchant ship. He made trips to Europe and the West Coast, but due to a decline in United States merchant shipping after the war he was not able to make a living as a merchant mariner. In 1869, he began working for the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad and later the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad.
Desiring to return to a sea career, Newcomb applied for and received a commission in the United States Revenue Cutter Service. He was commissioned as a third lieutenant on 8 March 1873 and assigned initially to USRC Petrel.Petrel was sold on 21 October 1873 and Newcomb was transferred to USRC W.H. Crawford, reporting aboard 25 November 1873. Newcomb was transferred to USRC Andrew Johnson based at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in June 1876. He was promoted to second lieutenant on 25 March 1878. In 1879, Newcomb was appointed as an assistant inspector for the United States Life-Saving Service by USLSS superintendent Sumner I. Kimball. While he served in this capacity he was placed in charge of USRC Saville based in Elizabeth City, North Carolina and he used the boat to aid in inspecting USLSS stations in south Virginia and North Carolina. The senior inspector, Lieutenant Charles F. Shoemaker and Newcomb helped establish an all black crew located on North Carolina's Outer Banks at Pea Island because some of the white crews didn't want to serve in mixed race crews. Newcomb appointed a locally recognized surfman, Richard Etheridge as the Pea Island Life-Saving Station head keeper. On 1 July 1885, he was assigned to USRC Colfax. On 7 December 1886, he began serving on USRC Gallatin. On 7 November 1889, Newcomb was transferred to USRC Dallas. On 16 May 1891 Newcomb was promoted to first lieutenant.
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