Hugo W. Koehler
| Hugo W. Koehler | |
|---|---|
LCDR Hugo W. Koehler, USN
|
|
| Born |
July 19, 1886 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | June 17, 1941 (aged 54) New York, New York |
| Buried at | Berkeley Memorial Cemetery, Middletown, Rhode Island |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1909–1929 (20 Years) |
| Rank |
 Commander
|
| Commands held | USS Piscataqua (AT-49) |
| Battles/wars |
World War I Russian Civil War |
| Awards |
Navy Cross World War I Victory Medal with Submarine Chaser Clasp Chevalier, Legion of Honor (France) Order of St. Stanislaus (Russia) (1920) Order of St. Anna (Russia) (1920) Order of St. Vladimir (Russia), 4th Class with swords and bow (1920) Navy Sharpshooter's Badge, Expert (1908) |
Hugo W. Koehler (July 19, 1886 – June 17, 1941) was a United States Navy commander and socialite who served as the military attache to Russia. He was the step-father of United States Senator Claiborne Pell and was rumored to be the illegitimate son of Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria. He received the Navy Cross for his service during World War I.
Hugo William Koehler was born on July 19, 1886 in St. Louis, Missouri. His father was St. Louis brewer and entrepreneur Oscar C. Koehler (1857-1902). Although it was rumored for much of his life that he was the illegitimate son of Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, who committed suicide in 1889, no confirming evidence of this has been found. Factors which led to this speculation include Koehler having a chin which was characteristic of the Hapsburgs, his ease in associating with European royalty and his apparent sources of income aside from his salary as a naval officer.
In his youth, Koehler attended Philips Exeter Academy and Harvard College before entering the United States Naval Academy in 1905.
He graduated from Annapolis in 1909 and was assigned to the armored cruiser USS New York (ACR-2) on October 29 of that year. With the New York Koehler went on two cruises to the Mediterranean Sea and sailed to the Philippines in 1911. New York was renamed Saratoga in February of that year.
He was promoted to ensign on June 5, 1911 and assigned to the gunboat USS Villalobos (PG-42) which was assigned to the Yangtze River Patrol in China.
...
Wikipedia