{{Infobox military person | name = Louis Kempff | image = Louis Kempff.jpeg | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1841|10|11}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|1920|07|29|1841|10|11}} | birth_place = Belleville, Illinois, United States of America | death_place = Santa Barbara, California, United States of America | burial_place = Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California, United States of America | burial_label = | burial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | nickname = | birth_name = | allegiance = {{flag|United States}} | branch = {{Navy|United States}} | service_years = 1857–1903 | rank = Rear admiral | service_number = | unit = Atlantic Blockading Squadron | commands = Asiatic Fleet | battles = American Civil War<br/>{{*}} Battle of Port Royal<br/>Boxer Rebellion | battles_label = | awards = | relations = | other_work = | signature = }} Rear Admiral '''Louis Kempff''' (October 11, 1841 – July 29, 1920) was an officer of the United States Navy from 1857 to 1903.
==Biography== Louis Kempff was born in Belleville, Illinois, United States, to parents Frederick and Henriette Kempff, both from Germany.<ref name=Hamer1>{{cite book|last=Hamersly|first=Louis Randolph|title=The records of living officers of the U.S. navy and Marine corps|year=1870|publisher=J. B. Lippincott & Co.|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JfItAAAAYAAJ&q=Louis+Kempff&pg=PA219|edition=Revised|accessdate=21 September 2011|page=219}}</ref> After passing the entrance exams, he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, on September 21, 1857.<ref name=Hamer1 />
===Civil War=== Towards the end of his senior year at Annapolis, the American Civil War erupted and Kempff was detached from the Naval Academy and called into active service in May 1861.<ref name=Hamer1 /><ref name=MOLLUS1>{{cite web|last=Carroon|first=David Girard|title=MOLLUS – Commander-in-Chief Rear Admiral Louis Kempff|url=http://suvcw.org/mollus/pcinc/lkempff.htm|publisher=Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States|accessdate=21 September 2011}}</ref> Midshipman Kempff was assigned to the {{USS|Wabash|1855|2}}, a steam frigate in the Atlantic Blockading Squadron.<ref name=Hamer1 /> On November 7, 1861, Kempff participated in the Battle of Port Royal, near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.<ref name=Hamer1 /> On August 1, 1862, Kempff was commissioned as a Lieutenant and subsequently assigned to the {{USS|Connecticut|1861|2}}.<ref name=Hamer1 /><ref name=MOLLUS1 /> At the close of the Civil War, Kempff was aboard the {{USS|Suwanee|1864|2}} in the Pacific Ocean.
===Later Naval career=== Following the Civil War, Kempff continued serving aboard the ''Suwanee''; on July 25, 1866, Kempff was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander. On March 7, 1876, Kempff was promoted to commander.<ref name=MOLLUS1 /> Kempff was thereafter assigned to the Mare Island Navy Yard and Station where he served as commander of the station's Department of Equipment and Recruiting.<ref>{{cite book|last=Munro-Fraser|first=J. P.|title=History of Solano County...and histories of its cities, towns...etc. ...|year=1879|publisher=Wood, Alley & Co, Inc.|location=East Oakland, California, United States|page=206|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=700-AAAAYAAJ&q=Louis+Kempff&pg=PA260}}</ref> On October 25, 1885, Kempff assumed command of the {{USS|Adams|1874|2}}. Kempff subsequently served on the Board of Inspection and Survey in San Francisco, California, during which time he was promoted to captain.<ref name=MOLLUS1 /><ref name=Trib1>{{cite book|title=Tribune Almanac and Political Register|year=1891|publisher=The Tribune Association|location=New York, New York|page=85|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PV0wAAAAIAAJ&q=Louis+Kempff&pg=RA1-PA85|editor=McPherson, Edward|accessdate=21 September 2011}}</ref> Kempff's final promotion came on March 3, 1899, when he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral.<ref name=MOLLUS1 />
===Later life=== Following his service in the Boxer Rebellion, Kempff continued to serve in the United States Navy; following the events of the Boxer Rebellion, Kempff became the Commandant–in–charge of the Pacific Naval District. Kempff continued in this capacity until his retirement in 1903. Following his retirement form military service, Kempff became an active participant in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.<ref name=MOLLUS1 />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Find a Grave|25966609}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kempff, Louis}} Category:United States Navy admirals Category:1841 births Category:1920 deaths Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:Union navy officers