Career
He was commander in chief of the United States. Asiatic Fleet from 1915 to 1917. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Winterhalter was appointed to the United States. Naval Academy from the First Congressional District of Michigan, graduating in 1877. In 1898, as flag lieutenant to Rear Admiral J.M. Miller, Commander in Chief Pacific Station, Winterhalter personally arranged the hoisting of the American flag at the ceremonies attending the transfer of sovereignty of the Hawaiian Islands to the United States.
He assumed command of the gunboat Elcano in 1902 and of the gunboat Paducah in 1905.
He took command of the United States. Asiatic Fleet on July 11, 1915 and ranked as a full admiral for the duration of his tour, reverting to his permanent rank of rear admiral upon relinquishing command in 1917. Winterhalter spent much of his career in scientific posts.
He was assigned to the United States. Naval Observatory from January 1885 to November 1889, during which time he served as the United States delegate to the International Astrophotographic Congress at Paris, France, and visited the principal observatories of Europe. His report on the tour was published in 1889.
He was also responsible for the Naval Observatory Exhibit at the Chicago World"s Fair in 1893.
He was Hydrographer of the Navy from May 1908 to January 1910. In 1916, Winterhalter conducted experiments aboard United States Ship Washington ( Adaptive Combat Rifle-11) to evaluate acoustic ranging techniques. He sailed Washington on different courses relative to a lightship that was transmitting radio waves and airand water-mediated sound waves, and found that submarine sound waves were a more reliable guide than air-mediated sound.
This was the first attempt to determine distance using acoustics, and a similar technique was later used for hydrographic surveys.
Winterhalter lost an eye to an archery accident the same year he graduated from the Academy. He could speak or read eleven languages by the time he was appointed to command the Asiatic Fleet.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Cadet Midshipman - September 24, 1873
Midshipman - June 18, 1877
Ensign - July 10, 1880
Lieutenant (junior grade) - December 14, 1886
Lieutenant - June 30, 1892
Lieutenant-Commander - unknown
Commander - July 1, 1905
Captain - 1909
Rear Admiral - 1915
Admiral - July 11, 1915.
