Biography
Born in Albany, New York, Stephen Luce was one of the Navy's outstanding officers in many fields, including strategy, seamanship, education, and professional development. Entering the naval service on 19 October 1841 as a midshipman, he served with the Atlantic coast blockaders during the American Civil War, and commanded the monitor Nantucket at the siege of Charleston, South Carolina. In 1862, while serving as head of the Department of Seamanship at the U.S. Naval Academy, he prepared one of the first seamanship textbooks used by the Academy.
After the war Luce organized the Navy's apprentice training program to prepare seamen and petty officers for fleet duty. From 1878 to 1881 Captain Luce was inspector of training ships and, as commodore, he commanded the U.S. Training Squadron from 1881 to 1884.
Based on Luce's urgings and exhaustive reports, the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island, was established 6 October 1884 with Luce as its first president. He was also instrumental in starting the U.S. Naval Institute and its publication, Proceedings. He again served at sea before retiring 25 March 1889. He returned to the War College in 1901 and served for a decade as a faculty member.
Luce died on 28 July 1917 and is buried at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
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