Orin Gould Murfin (April 13, 1876 – October 22, 1956) was an admiral in the United States Navy.

Orin Gould Murfin
Admiral Murfin circa 1935
Born(1876-04-13)April 13, 1876
Scioto County, Ohio, U.S.
DiedOctober 22, 1956(1956-10-22) (aged 80)
San Diego, California, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branch United States Navy
Years of service1897–1940, 1944
Rank Admiral
Commands
Battles / warsSpanish–American War
World War I
World War II
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal
Admiral Orin G. Murfin (center) as President of the Navy Court of Inquiry for the Pearl Harbor attack

Murfin served as the commanding officer of USS Albany in 1916; Concord, 1923–1925; and West Virginia, 1928–29. During World War I, he supervised U.S. mine-laying bases in Scotland, for which he was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.[1] From 1931 to 1934, Murfin was the Navy's Judge Advocate General.

He also served as Commander-in-Chief, Asiatic Fleet, 1935–36. From there, Murfin became the commandant of the 14th Naval District, where he led the Navy's participation in the search for Amelia Earhart when her plane went missing in 1937.

Born in Scioto County, Ohio, Murfin received his early education in Jackson, Ohio. He then attended the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1897. Murfin served aboard the battleship USS Iowa during the Spanish–American War. He retired from active duty in May 1940.[2][3][4]

Following his retirement, Murfin served as the President of the Navy Court of Inquiry following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The court's conclusions were regarded as too lenient by Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal; see Edward C. Kalbfus.

Murfin and his wife Anna settled in Coronado, California, after his retirement. He died on October 22, 1956, at the Naval Hospital, Balboa Park in San Diego and was buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.[3][5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Awarding of Medals in the Naval Service. U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Naval Affairs. 1920. p. 42. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  2. ^ Lucky Bag (PDF). U.S. Naval Academy. 1897. p. 22. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Graveside services scheduled today for Admiral Orin Gould Murfin". Coronado Journal. October 25, 1956. p. 7. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  4. ^ "Murfin, Orin Gould". The National Cyclopædia of American Biography. Vol. XLIII. James T. White & Company. 1961. p. 99. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  5. ^ "Nationwide Gravesite Locator". National Cemetery Administration. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
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Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, United States Asiatic Fleet
4 October 1935–30 October 1936
Succeeded by
Preceded by Judge Advocate General of the Navy
1931–1934
Succeeded by