Hewitt, Henry Kent.

Hewitt, Henry Kent, born 11-02-1887 in Hackensack, New Jersey, to Robert Anderson Hewitt (1856-1929) and his wife Mary, born Kent, Hewitt ( 1862-1945) Henry was married to Floride Louise Hunt Hewitt ( 1887-1973) and they had two daughters, Floride Hunt Hewitt Taylor ( 1915-2005) and Mary Kent Hewitt Norton ( 1923-2006).

Henry became a naval officer who directed important amphibious landings in Europe during World War II. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., in 1906, Hewitt commanded the destroyer “Cummings” during World War I. When World War II broke out, he was put in charge of naval forces first assigned to assist Allied landings in North Africa. Hewitt was promoted to rear admiral in 1939 and commanded Atlantic Fleet Task Groups in neutrality patrols and convoys from 1941 until becoming Commander, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, in April 1942. This force, also called Task Force 34, became the U.S. component of the Operation Torch landings in November 1942. Hewitt was then assigned as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Northwest Africa Waters. His flagships included USS Augusta while he commanded American naval forces at the Battle of Casablanca, Monrovia while he commanded the western task force during the invasion of Sicily and Ancon while he commanded all Allied amphibious forces during the invasion of Italy and later Anzio landings and invasion of southern France. Coordinating the action of warships and dive-bombers, he won a violent and decisive battle off Casablanca, November 1942, for which he was promoted to the temporary rank of vice admiral. He commanded similar successful operations with the landings on Sicily, July 1943, Salerno, September, and in southern France, August 1944. Hewitt, here with General George Smith Patton

  became commander of U.S. naval forces in Europe on 16-08-1945, retaining this post for more than a year. He subsequently served as U.S. naval representative on the military staff committee of the United Nations from 1947 until his retirement as admiral in 1949. USS Hewitt was named in his honor.

 Living in Middlebury, Vermont Hewitt died at the old age of 85, on 15-09-1972 and is buried with his wife Floride, born Hunt, who died age 86 in 1973, on the United States Naval Academy Cemetery, Annapolis Anne Arundel County, Maryland.