Marquart Edward John.

Marquart Edward John, born on 11-03-1880 in Valparaiso, Indiana to immigrant parents Peter Marquart, (1839–1916) and raised in Holstein, Germany, and Anna C. Miller, born Mueller from Hesse Castle, Germany (1846–1926). Peter moved to the U.S. in 1856. He married Anna in 1863 when she moved to the U.S. They had nine children from 1865 to 1884. Edward was the third from the last. Five boys and four girls.

Edward had five brothers and four sisters, Anna Margaret Marquart Small (1865–1965), Charles Marquart(1865–1963), Catherine E “Kate” Marquart Casbon (1868–1959), Minnie S. Marquart Topper (1871–1967), Frederick William “Fred” Marquart (1873–1945) Mary J Marquart Dye (1875–1956) Clara Marquart Burk (1887–1948),  Harry M. Marquart (1888–1970) and Jerry Herman Marquar (1892–1956)

Little is known of his youth and we first run into him in a newspaper account from 31-08-1899 that says he is at the U.S. Naval Academy and has gone missing along with 148 other midshipmen aboard the USS Monongahela, the Academy training ship, on a summer cruise returning from the Caribbean. The midshipmen were from the second, third, and fourth classes, meaning Edward had to have entered in 1898. Seems they were delayed by a hurricane.

Edward graduated the Academy on 02-05-1902. He ranked number 17 in his class of 50. In his class was Emory Scott Land, who graduated sixth in the class and became the famous naval architect specializing in submarine construction. Also Donald Cameron Bingham, Joseph Otto Fisher and Kirby B. Crittenden. All names that appear in the early submarines of the U.S. Navy.

After the graduation ceremonies were over the Midshipmen were sent home to await their orders to their first assignments. At this time the Midshipmen were not commissioned Ensigns out of the Academy. They had to serve two years in the fleet as Midshipmen.

Edwards’ first ship assignment turned out to be with the Asiatic Fleet and the Oregon (Battleship No. 3) along with a number of other class mates, Emory Scott Land included. In 1903 they are anchored in Honolulu harbor along with several other battleships and cruisers.

By 1904 he had secured his promotion to Ensign. He is still in the Asiatic Fleet aboard the patrol yacht USS Frolic  stationed in the Philippines. They conducted operations with the U.S. Army and later conducted target practice in Chinese waters. The Frolic was decommissioned in 1906.

On 30-11-1905 Marquart was transferred from the Frolic back to the battleship Oregon, but he didn’t stay there long, on 03-06-1906 he was transferred to the Illinois (Battleship No. 7)

By 1936 Marquart is now a Rear Admiral and he is stationed at Cavite in the Philippines. President Manuel Quezon had been elected to office and one of the first salutes rendered him was by the U.S. Navy. Admiral Marquart presented to him a gold plated shell case, the first fired in the 19 gun salute to him the day he was inaugurated. It became a prized possession of the Philippine President.

By 1937 the Japanese have invaded China and are pushing to the capital Nanking. Admiral Marquart is in charge of the Yangtze Patrol squadron there. He was determined to keep the boats there even after evacuating the United States Ambassador Nelson Johnson to the new capital of Hankow. The Japanese said foreign lives would not be spared if they remained in Nanking. Marquart had the gunboats Guam (PR-3) and Luzon (PR-7) there and would not remove them until all Americans had been removed. On 09-03-1937, age 47, his wife Marie Theresa, born Scannell Marquart, who he married in 1916 died. The cause is unknown.

Marquart is relieved by Admiral Davis McDougal, LeBreton and at what point he returns to Manila has not been discovered, but he departed from there on 22-03-1938 to Los Angeles, CA, arriving on 17-04-1938. He is assigned to duty with the Naval Examining Board.

In April 1939 it is announced that Marquart will replace Admiral Wilhelm Lee Friedell as commander of minecraft of the battle force, stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In April of 1941 Edward and second wife Helen, born Holbert, have returned from Hawaii aboard the SS Lurline. Leaving Honolulu on April 11 and arriving at Los Angeles on 18-04-1941. He is to become the Commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

By July of 1941 Marquart is in charge of the Brooklyn Navy Yard and in the middle of huge electrical workers strike. Halting all construction work in the yard including several battleships under construction at that time.

The dispute is resolved and work at the Navy Yard is continuing apace by October 1941 and Marquart is in talks with the city to improve transportation to the shipyard. That close to 30,000 will be employed there and the need for better transportation was imperative to the yard and worker.

In November 1941 the couple seem to have had a bit of luck and have box seats for the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra.

Part of the duties of commanding the Navy Yard is keeping up morale. On  25-06-1942 Admial Marquart held a small ceremony presenting a certificate to Frederick Cope Whitehouse, the chief engineering draftsman in the design section of the yard, for recognition of 50 years continuous service to the yard.

Under Marquart’s command the Navy Yard was presented with the Navy “E” award for efficiency, the first Navy Yard to receive the award. Over 1,000 yard employees volunteered to go to Pearl Harbor to help repair the damage made by the attack.

While still commanding the Navy Yard he is given command of the Third Navy District as well.

On 01-04-1944 he had reached the mandatory retirement age for the Navy and officially retired tnoon that day. The records don’t say but it could be inferred that he may have continued helping the war effort in some way.

After the war a 1945 newspaper reprinted a column from Ed Sullivan, newspaperman and radio personality, (later TV show host), he wrote a piece that included Marquart.

Death and burial ground of Edwar John Marquart.

Edward John Marquart passed away on 04-11-1954 at 74 years of age. Edward is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Plot: Section 3, Lot 4195. He is buried with both his wives. Helen passed away 22-12-1965.

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