Francis Eliot Maynard Whiting (1891-1978) was born in New York City on February 10, 1891, and entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1908. Graduated and commissioned Ensign in June 1912, he was promoted at regular intervals until he advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on May 16, 1942. His retirement became effective on August 1, 1947, when he was advanced to Vice Admiral on the basis of combat citations. His first assignment was with the U.S.S. Delaware and when detached in June 1916 he had six weeks instruction in submarines with U.S.S. Fulton at New London, Connecticut. In August 1916 he reported for duty as Aide on the staff of the Commander, Train, Atlantic Fleet, U.S.S. Vestal. In March 1919 he joined the U.S.S. Colhoun as Executive Officer and served until December of that year. He then joined the U.S.S. Satterlee for similar duty and served until March 15, 1920. After a year at the Navy Recruiting Bureau, New York, he was appointed Aide to the Commandant, Third Naval District, New York. He had duty in connection with the General Board, Navy Department during the Washington Limitation of Arms Conference in 1921 to 1922 and following that duty he reported to the Navy Yard, Philadelphia. He joined the U.S.S. Pittsburgh when she was recommissioned on August 22, 1923 as flagship of the U.S. Naval Forces in European Waters and served as First Lieutenant and later as Engineer Officer. Detached from the U.S.S. Pittsburgh in September 1924 he served during the following year as Executive Officer of the U.S.S. Edsall, U.S.S. Hannibal, and in command of U.S.S. Bulmer. In August 1925 he transferred to command of the U.S.S. Sylph, the yacht assigned for use by the Secretary of the Navy. In February 1926 he was given additional duty as Aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Honorable Theodore Douglas Robinson). Subsequently that duty became his major assignment, with command of the Sylph as additional duty. His next duty was in command of the U.S.S. Goff, from June 1928 to January 1931, and from that time until September 1933 he had consecutive duty at the Naval Recruiting Station, Newark, New Jersey and as Officer in Charge, Naval Recruiting Station, Brooklyn, New York. He joined the U.S.S. Augusta in October 1933 and had successive duty as First Lieutenant and Damage Control Officer, and Executive Officer. His next duty was Officer in Charge, Navy Recruiting Bureau, New York, New York from January 1936 to September 1938 with additional duty as Recruiting Inspector, Northeastern Recruiting Division. He was Commander, Destroyer Division Eight, U.S.S. Dunlap, from September 1938 to May 1940. He served from June 1940 to March 1942 as Director of Recruiting, Bureau of Navigation (later Bureau of Naval Personnel), Navy Department. In March 1942 he reported to the Bethlehem Steel Corporation plant, Quincy, Massachusetts to assist with fitting out the new battleship U.S.S. Massachusetts. He commanded her from her commissioning on May 12, 1942, until December of that year. Relieved of command of the Massachusetts on December 11, 1942, he assumed duty on December 23, 1942 as Commander of the Southeast Pacific Force. When relieved of that duty in October 1943, he reported for duty as Commander of the Alaskan Sector, under the Commandant, Thirteenth Naval District, Seattle, Washington. He was the first Commandant of the Seventeenth Naval District, established on April 15, 1944, which included Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In August 1944 he assumed command of Cruiser Division Fourteen, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and served in that command until May 3, 1945. On May 15, 1945 he was designated Island Commander, Saipan and Commandant, Naval Operating Base, Saipan. Returning to the United States in January 1946 he served as Administrative Officer of the Navy Department from January 24 to March 15, 1946 when he was transferred to duty as Commandant, U.S. Naval Base, New York, New York. Her served in that assignment until relieved of all active duty pending his retirement on August 1, 1947. He died on June 7, 1978.
From the description of Whiting, Francis E. M. (Francis Eliot Maynard), 1891-1978 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10678282
