| William Wirt Kimball | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 9, 1848 Paris, Maine |
| Died | January 26, 1930 (aged 82) Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1869-1910 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Battles/wars | Spanish American War |
William Wirt Kimball (January 9, 1848 - January 26, 1930) was a U.S. naval officer and an early pioneer in the development of submarines.
Kimball was born in Paris, Maine. In 1869 he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.
After serving on early navy torpedo boats, Kimball designed machine guns and armored cars, switched to the development of submarines in the 1890s.
He commanded the Atlantic torpedo-boat fleet in the Spanish-American War.
In Mya 1906, he served as the first commander of the battleship New Jersey. In 1908, Kimball became rear admiral, and commanded expeditionary forces to Nicaragua in 1909. In 1910, he retired from active duty.
He died in Washington, D.C. on January 26, 1930.