# Ralph Hungerford

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American Naval officer (1896 - 1977)

Ralph Waldo Hungerford Governor of American Samoa In office January 27, 1945 – September 3, 1945 Preceded by Allen Hobbs Succeeded by Samuel Canan Personal details Born April 21, 1896 Windsor, New York Died 22 February 1977(1977-02-22) (aged 79) Abington, Pennsylvania Alma mater United States Naval Academy Occupation Naval officer Awards Legion of Merit Military service Allegiance United States Branch/service United States Navy Rank Captain Commands Commander, Anti-submarine warfare - Atlantic Ocean Battles/wars World War II

**Ralph Waldo Hungerford** (April 21, 1896 – February 20, 1977) was a [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) [Captain](/source/Captain_(United_States)#U.S._Navy,_U.S._Coast_Guard,_U.S._Public_Health_Service,_and_National_Oceanic_and_Atmospheric_Administration), and the [governor of American Samoa](/source/Governor_of_American_Samoa) from January 27, 1945, to September 3, 1945. He was born April 21, 1896, in [Windsor, New York](/source/Windsor_(town)%2C_New_York), but moved to [Rhode Island](/source/Rhode_Island) later in life. He received appointment to the [United States Naval Academy](/source/United_States_Naval_Academy) on June 17, 1915. During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), he served on the staff of [Rear Admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(United_States)) [Adolphus Andrews](/source/Adolphus_Andrews) in defense of the [East Coast of the United States](/source/East_Coast_of_the_United_States); he specialized in [antisubmarine warfare](/source/Antisubmarine_warfare). He was awarded the Legion of Merit on January 14, 1943.[1] Hungerford became governor on January 27, 1945, and faced the daunting task of restoring the island to a pre-[Pacific War](/source/Pacific_War) economy. He died in 1977 in [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania).

## Life

Hungerford was born April 21, 1896, in [Windsor, New York](/source/Windsor%2C_New_York).[2] At the time of his appointment as governor, his legal residence was in [Rhode Island](/source/Rhode_Island).[3] He died on February 20, 1977, in [Abington, Pennsylvania](/source/Abington_Township%2C_Montgomery_County%2C_Pennsylvania).[2]

## Naval career

Hungerford was admitted to the [United States Naval Academy](/source/United_States_Naval_Academy) on June 17, 1915, from [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), graduating in 1919.[4] He served on the staff of [Rear admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(United_States)) [Adolphus Andrews](/source/Adolphus_Andrews), Commander, [Eastern Sea Frontier](/source/Eastern_Sea_Frontier), who had been entrusted with the defense of the Atlantic Coast in 1941. Hungerford was placed in charge of [antisubmarine warfare](/source/Antisubmarine_warfare).[5]

## Governorship

Hungerford became [Governor of American Samoa](/source/Governor_of_American_Samoa) on January 27, 1945, relieving [Allen Hobbs](/source/Allen_Hobbs) of the post and serving until September 3, 1945.[2] (From 1905 to 1951, US Naval commanders were appointed to the position.) As governor, Hungerford successfully requested the removal of the [sonobuoys](/source/Sonobuoy) from [Pago Pago Harbor](/source/Pago_Pago_Harbor).[2] His main goal during his term was to return the islands to domestic economy and routine, converting them from the vital wartime centers they had been in the Pacific War. Among his challenges were cutting [unemployment](/source/Unemployment), restoring the [copra](/source/Copra) industry, revitalizing the fishing industry, and re-opening schools closed during [World War II](/source/World_War_II).[6] He often held meetings with the native chiefs. They made requests for new roads and projects, and voiced their concerns about island affairs.[6]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Ralph Hungerford - Recipient -"](http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=309016).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bio_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bio_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-bio_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-bio_2-3) ["Captain Ralph Waldo Hungerford"](http://americansamoa.gov/governors/captain-ralph-waldo-hungerford). *Governors*. [Government of American Samoa](/source/Government_of_American_Samoa). 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [United States Civil Service Commission](/source/United_States_Civil_Service_Commission) (1947). [*Official Register of the United States*](https://books.google.com/books?id=9SsiAAAAMAAJ&q=%22ralph+w+hungerford%22&pg=PA135). [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.): [United States Government Printing Office](/source/United_States_Government_Printing_Office). p. 135. Retrieved 2 May 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and Reserve Officers on Active Duty*](https://books.google.com/books?id=OswcAQAAIAAJ&q=%22ralph+waldo+hungerford%22&pg=PA260). [Bureau of Naval Personnel](/source/Bureau_of_Naval_Personnel). 1918. p. 260. Retrieved 2 May 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Hickam, Homer](/source/Homer_Hickam) (1996). [*Torpedo Junction: U-Boat War Off America's East Coast, 1942*](https://books.google.com/books?id=P8GZ0KX1Gh4C&q=%22ralph+hungerford%22&pg=PA5). [Annapolis, Maryland](/source/Annapolis%2C_Maryland): [Naval Institute Press](/source/Naval_Institute_Press). pp. 4–5. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-55750-362-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55750-362-1). Retrieved 2 May 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Doyle_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Doyle_6-1) Doyle, Robert (21 March 1945). ["Samoa Faces Peace Change: War Passes Island By"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D7UWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ICMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2208,2093880&dq=ralph-hungerford&hl=en). *[Milwaukee Journal](/source/Milwaukee_Journal)*. [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee), Wisconsin: [Journal Communications](/source/Journal_Communications). p. 8. Retrieved 2 May 2010.

v t e Governors of American Samoa Commandant (1900–1905) Tilley Sebree Minett Underwood Naval (1905–1951) Moore Parker Crose Post Stearns Post Woodruff Poyer Terhune Evans Pollock Kellogg Bryan Graham Lincoln Spore Emerson Lincoln Landenberger Latimore Dowling Fitzpatrick Milne Hanson Wallace Wild Larsen (alongside Wild) Moyer Hobbs Hungerford Canan Houser Huber Darden Civil (1951–1978) Phelps Elliott Ewing Judd Lowe Coleman Lee Aspinall Haydon Mockler Ruth Barnett Lee Elected (since 1978) Coleman Lutali Coleman Lutali Sunia Tulafono Moliga Mauga Pula

Authority control databases VIAF GND

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ralph Hungerford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Hungerford) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Hungerford?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.