World War II Chronicle: December 22, 1941
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Today’s edition commemorates the passing of Adm. William B. Caperton (see page 31). Born at Spring Hill, Tenn. in 1855, he graduated the U.S. Naval Academy in 1875, serving two years of sea duty before earning his commission. During World War I, Caperton was Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery and the USS Caperton (DD-650) — one of the “fightingest” destroyers of the war — is named in his honor.
If you want an idea of just how bad the Spanish Influenza was, check out Adm. Caperton’s account from when it swept through his ship while at port in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil…
Pictured above is Adm. Caperton (third from left) and his staff aboard USS Pittsburgh. On the far left is Lt. Col. Richard M. Cutts. He and his son Richard Jr. (Brig. Gen., USMC) invented the Cutts Compensator, which reduced muzzle recoil on firearms, particularly the Thompson submachine gun.
The younger Cutts served as a White House naval intelligence aide before participating in the Saipan and Okinawa campaigns. Col. Cutts’ father was Lt. Cmdr. R. M. Cutts (USN) and grandfather was Richard D. Cutts, a brevetted Brigadier General of Volunteers and Aide-de-Camp to Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck during the Civil War. Col. Cutts’ great-uncle was James Madison Cutts, who was about to be court-martialed until President Abraham Lincoln intervened, saving Cutts’ career. The reinstated officer went on to earn the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. Brothers Richard D. Cutts and James M. Cutts’ uncle was Pres. James Madison…
Sports section begins on page 23
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 22 December 1941. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1941-12-22/ed-1/
