Douglas Legate Howard (February 11, 1885 – December 14, 1936) was a football player and coach and officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. He served as the commander of three destroyers during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

and later as the division commander of destroyers with command of the fleet flagship, the USS Seattle. He also served as a player, captain, and head coach of the

Navy Midshipmen football The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) college football. The Naval Academy completed its final season as an FBS independent school (not in a conference) i ...

team. In four years as Navy's head football coach, Howard's teams compiled 25–7–4 record. He also served as the Naval Academy's athletic director from 1919 to 1921. After retiring from the Navy, Howard served from 1934 to 1936 as the dean of St. John's College and, for a short time prior to his death, as president of the Annapolis Banking and Trust Company.

Early life

Howard was born in 1885 in

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

. His father, Thomas B. Howard, was an officer in the United States Navy, and his grandfather, Abram Claude, was the mayor of Annapolis and a member of the faculty at the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

. Howard attended the St. John's preparatory school for two years and then the Naval Academy itself. He played football at the academy, serving as captain of the 1905 Navy Midshipmen football team the compiled a 10–1–1 record. He was also the Academy's heavyweight boxing champion and received the Thompson Trophy Cup as the midshipmen who had done the most to promote athletics.

Naval and coaching career

After graduating from the Naval Academy, he served in the Navy. In February 1911, Howard was selected as the 14th head coach of the

program. In his first year as head coach, Howard led the

1911 Navy Midshipmen football team The 1911 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy during the 1911 college football season. The team compiled an undefeated 6–0–3 record, shut out seven opponents, and defeated its opponents by a combined scor ...

to an undefeated 6–0–3 record. He remained as head coach for four seasons, from 1911 until 1914. His coaching record at Navy was 25–7–4. Howard returned to active duty in 1915 following the outbreak of

. He served as commanding officer of the USS Drayton (DD-23), a destroyer that was part of the second group of American warships to enter the war zone. He also held commands during the war of two other destroyers, the USS Rowan (DD-64) and USS Bell (DD-95). He was awarded the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

for distinguished service in "vigorously and unremittingly" escorting Allied convoys through waters "infested" with German U-boats. In 1919, he returned to Annapolis, serving as the Naval Academy's athletic director and Secretary-Treasurer of the Naval Athletic Association from 1919 to 1922. As athletic director, he initiated a program requiring every midshipman to be trained in multiple sports. He hired a staff of professional trainers and coaches, and was credited with placing the Naval Academy at "a high place in college sports." After leaving the Academy, Howard was assigned as navigation officer on the battleship USS ''Texas''. In July 1923, he was transferred to the USS ''Seattle'' as executive officer (1925-1928). He then served as commander of Destroyer Division 27 of the Scouting Fleet, and after that commander of Destroyer Division 33. He was next assigned to the Office of the Naval Intelligence. He attended the Navy War College from 1930 to 1931 and the Army War College in 1932. He retired from the Navy in 1933.

Family, later years, and honors

Howard was married in November 1910 to Ruth Bowyer, daughter of

Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy The Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy is its commanding officer. The position is a statutory office (), and is roughly equivalent to the chancellor or president of an American civilian university. The officer appointed is, by tradi ...

, Rear Admiral John M. Bowyer. They had two sons, J.M.B. Howard and Joseph B. Howard, and a daughter, Anne (Howard) Thomas. After retiring from the Navy, Howard was hired as the assistant to the president of St. John's College in Annapolis. He became the dean at St. John's in July 1934. He resigned as dean of St John's in September 1936 to become president of the Annapolis Banking and Trust Company. Howard died at Annapolis on December 14, 1936, shortly after assuming the presidency of the Annapolis Banking and Trust Company. The cause of death was reported as

apoplexy Apoplexy () is rupture of an internal organ and the accompanying symptoms. The term formerly referred to what is now called a stroke. Nowadays, health care professionals do not use the term, but instead specify the anatomic location of the bleedi ...

. His funeral was held in the Naval Academy Chapel, and he was buried at the

United States Naval Academy Cemetery The United States Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium is a cemetery at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. History In 1868 the Naval Academy purchased a 67-acre piece of land called Strawberry Hill as part of their effort ...

in Annapolis. In January 1943, The United States Navy launched a destroyer escort vessel, the USS ''Douglas L. Howard'', named in his honor. The ship was sponsored by Howard's daughter, Mrs. Donald I. Thomas.

Head coaching record

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Douglas Legate 1885 births 1936 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War I Navy Midshipmen athletic directors Navy Midshipmen football coaches United States Navy officers United States Naval Academy alumni Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Sportspeople from Annapolis, Maryland