Background
Danenhower, John Wilson was born on September 30, 1849 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of William W. Danenhower.
Danenhower, John Wilson was born on September 30, 1849 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of William W. Danenhower.
Graduated from the University S. Naval Academy, 1870.
Served in ships Plymouth and Juniata in European Squadron, 1870. Served in vessel Portsmouth in survey of North Pacific, 1873-1874. Rank of master, 1873.
Spent 2 months in insane asylum, 1878. After release served in ship Vandalia, in Mediterranean. While in Smyrna (Turkey) heard of proposed Arctic expedition in ship Jeannette, offered services and was accepted.
Executive officer in Jeannette from Havre (France) to San Francisco. Began trip via Bering Strait to Arctic. 1879; commissioned Lieutenant, 1879.
Incapacitated by inflammed left eye, 1879. When Jeannette was crushed in ice (latitude 7715 north, longitude 155 east), 1881, escaped (with others) over ice to Asia mainland, arrived in the United States, 1882. Assistant commander of cadets United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
Assigned command in Constellation, 1887, grounded vessel going out of harbor, Norfolk, Virginia. Returned to Annapolis, committed suicide (probably because of this incident). Author: Lieutenant Danenhower’s Narrative of the Jeannette, 1882.
Served in ships Plymouth and Juniata in European Squadron, 1870.