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John A. Henriques (1826–1906) was a United States Revenue Cutter Service officer who was noted for helping form the establishment of the Revenue Cutter Service School of Instruction, which later became the United States Coast Guard Academy.[1][2][Note 2]
Henriques started a career in carpentry in the 1840s and after finishing an apprenticeship in carpentry he began working on coastal vessels to earn a living. By 1850 he was a journeyman carpenter but he abandoned carpentry to become a merchant seaman, eventually working his way up the crew ranks to first mate. After the beginning of the Civil War he petitioned for a commission with the Revenue Cutter Service at age 37. He was commissioned a third lieutenant on March 27, 1863, and was assigned to James C. Dobbin.[2][3]
その後、カッター船クロフォード、ノーザナー、ジョン・シャーマンに乗務したヘンリケスは、通常の二等中尉への昇進を飛び越え、1864年7月11日に一等中尉に昇進した。 [ 2 ] [ 3 ] 2年足らず後の1866年6月6日には大尉に昇進した。[ 3 ] 1868年8月10日、ヘンリケスはメリーランド州ボルチモアから、新たに就役したカッター船リライアンスの船長として、カリフォルニア州サンフランシスコに向けて出航した。ケープホーンを回る航海では、ケープで8日間強風に見舞われ、1868年1月29日にサンフランシスコに到着した。[ 2 ] [ 4 ]ヘンリケスが船長を務めるリライアンスは、1868年8月29日にアラスカ州シトカに転属し、11月28日に到着した。[ 4 ]ヘンリケスは、アラスカ海域を航海した最初のカッター船長の1人となり、アラスカ海域で米国法を執行した最初の船長となった。[ 2 ]ヘンリケスはリライアンスから転属した後、ワヤンダの指揮官となり、4か月後にリンカーンの指揮官に転属した。 [ 2 ] 1874年、ヘンリケスは新造カッター「リチャード・ラッシュ」をホーン岬経由でサンフランシスコまで輸送する任務に選ばれ、1875年に到着した。[ 5 ]ラッシュを指揮してアラスカを哨戒していた際、新任士官として入隊する士官候補生のための新しい税関海事学校を設立するという特別任務のため、ワシントンDCに報告するよう命令を受けた。[ 2 ]
At the urging of several senior officers, Sumner Kimball, the chief of the Revenue–Marine Division, took steps to establish a school to train officers for eventual assignment to cutters in the fleet. Henriques, along with Captain George W. Moore and Captain James H. Merryman suggested that there should be uniform training for new officers rather having them report to a cutter untrained.[6][7] Congress passed legislation to provide for an officer's training school on July 31, 1876[7] Henriques, Moore, and Merryman all thought that sail training was very important to teach beginning officers so they persuaded Kimball to authorize the use of the cutter James C. Dobbin homeported at New Bedford, Massachusetts as a school ship for training new cadets at sea.[6] During the months from October through May the cadets studied a curriculum of mathematics, law, English, French, history, seamanship and navigation while the summer months were spent aboard Dobbin at sea along the Atlantic coast. The initial course of instruction was for two years and the graduates were transferred as newly commissioned third lieutenants to cutters in the Revenue–Marine fleet. Eventually the course work included three years of instruction and the school was known as the Revenue Cutter Service School of Instruction. In 1878 the newly constructed cutter Salmon P. Chase replaced Dobbin as the school ship.[6] Henriques served as superintendent of the School of Instruction and captain of Chase until June 15, 1883 when he was replaced by Captain Leonard G. Shepard.[2][8] The Revenue Service School of Instruction eventually became the Revenue Service Academy in 1914 and when the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service was merged with the United States Life–Saving Service on January 28, 1915, it was then known as the United States Coast Guard Academy.[1][9]
After his service at the School of Instruction ended in 1883, Henriques served on several examining boards for prospective cadets and superintended the construction of the cutter Commodore Perry. He served as commanding officer of the cutters USRC Louis McLane, Commodore Perry, and Levi Woodbury. He served as an inspector for the U.S. Life–Saving Service before retiring in 1902.[2]
In retirement Henriques moved to Waterford, Connecticut where he died at the age of 79 on March 29, 1906.[2][3] Henriques was survived by his wife, Ellen Stoddard Henriques and his son, John Philip Henriques. He was buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London, Connecticut.[2]