FRED T. BERRY, CDR, USN

Fred Berry '08

Date of birth: November 23, 1887

Date of death: April 4, 1933

Age: 45

Lucky Bag

From the 1908 Lucky Bag:

FRED THOMAS BERRY

Logan, Iowa

"Freddie"

One of the heavenly twins. Carries an innocent air at all times, but—! Lena's roommate, and just like her—only more so. Short of stature and long on everything non-reg. Fusses whenever he is forced into it, but is by nature a Mike. Social errors his long suit. Will back up a friend with a great deal more than talk.

"Say, I feel like a war horse in the mouth of Septebuary."

"I'm much obliged to meet you."

FRED THOMAS BERRY

Logan, Iowa

"Freddie"

One of the heavenly twins. Carries an innocent air at all times, but—! Lena's roommate, and just like her—only more so. Short of stature and long on everything non-reg. Fusses whenever he is forced into it, but is by nature a Mike. Social errors his long suit. Will back up a friend with a great deal more than talk.

"Say, I feel like a war horse in the mouth of Septebuary."

"I'm much obliged to meet you."

Loss

Fred was lost when the airship USS Akron (ZRS 4) crashed off the coast of New Jersey on April 4, 1933.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In the census of May 26, 1910, Fred was on USS Paul Jones.
In 1914, Fred tendered the command of the Admiral's ship in Asiatic waters. He was offered a post graduate course at Annapolis.
Fred married Charlotte Laidlaw on April 14, 1921, at her mother's home in Portland, Oregon.
In June 1923, Fred was awarded a bonus for service in WWI of $350.00. He had applied in January.
In 1930, Fred's family lived in Beachwood, New Jersey: wife Charlotte and sons Fred Jr., and Thomas N.
In January 1933, the Akron went on a brief training flight with Commander F. C. McCord in command and returned to Lakehurst at noon on January 25. Because of inclement weather, she did not land and flew over New York state and Lake Erie. Commander Berry was quoted as saying he could not foretell when the Akron would return to Lakehurst.
A memorial service was held April 19, 1933, in the Cathedral of the Air for those who died on the crash of the Akron. Fred's brother-in-law John Laidlaw of Portland, Oregon, assisted the chaplain at the service and offered a eulogy and a prayer.
Fred's son Tom accompanied his mother for the launching of USS Fred T. Berry on January, 28 1945. He served on the ship from August 28, 1945, to April 8, 1946.
Fred's father Thomas N. was manager of a grist mill, and his mother was Virginia “Jennie.” His brother was George.

He was born 23 November 1887 in Logan, Iowa, was a member of the United States Naval Academy class of 1908. Through much of his early career he specialized in engineering duty, and during World War I commanded McCall (DD-28). He was awarded the Navy Cross for his outstanding performance of duty in this billet.
In 1927, he began training in dirigibles, and later commanded the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3).

He was survived by his wife and son (who also graduated the Naval Academy). He is buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery.

Akron's executive officer, LCDR Herbert V. Wiley '15, one of only three survivors, was filmed shortly after the crash:

Photographs

From the Daily News on April 5, 1933
From the Star Tribune on April 10, 1933

Navy Cross

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Fred Thomas Berry, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. McCALL, engaged in the important, exacting, and hazardous duty of patrolling the waters infested by enemy submarines and mines, protecting vitally important convoys of troops and supplies through these waters, and in offensive and defensive action, vigorously and unremittingly prosecuted against all forms of enemy naval activity during World War I.
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. McCall

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.

January 1909

Midshipman, Colorado

January 1910

Midshipman, Colorado

Others at this command:

MIDN Thalbert Alford '09

January 1911

Ensign, Paul Jones

January 1912

Ensign, Paul Jones

January 1913

Ensign, Dale

January 1914

Lieutenant (j.g.), commanding officer, Dale

January 1915

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Galveston

January 1916

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command:

LTjg Franklin Van Valkenburgh '09

LTjg Mervyn Bennion '10

January 1917

Lieutenant, inspection duty, Bureau of Steam Engineering

March 1918

Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Von Steuben

January 1919

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS McCall

January 1920

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Destroyer Squadron 4, Pacific Fleet

Others at this command:

CDR John Wilcox, Jr. '05