Education
He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1905, serving on many ships as an ensign.
He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1905, serving on many ships as an ensign.
He served as the inaugural commanding officer of two ships: the United States Ship Rizal and the United States Ship Astoria. He served during World War I as commander of the U-boat hunting United States Ship Rowan, for which he received a letter of commendation. As governor, he generated controversy by expelling 112 Japanese laborers from Guam.
The Guam Museum also opened during his term of office.
Root was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from Ohio in 1901. He reported aboard the United States Ship Alabama in 1906, and 1908 he served aboard the United States Ship Maine as an ensign.
On April 4, 1910, he began service aboard the United States Ship Bainbridge. In 1913, he served aboard the United States Ship Glacier.
During World War I, Root served within the Bureau of Navigation and then with the Destroyer fleet stationed out of Queenstown, Ireland.
In the war, he commanded the United States Ship Rowan, specifically seeking out and engaging German U-boats, for which he received a letter of commendation. On May 28, 1919, Root set sail aboard the United States Ship Rizal as her first commanding officer In 1934, he served as the first commanding officer of the United States Ship Astoria.
In the 1940s, he headed the naval officer procurement program in Chicago, where he oversaw the area"s initial Walking Attack Vehicle Enhanced program
Root served as Naval Governor of Guam from May 15, 1931 to June 21, 1933. Root caused controversy between the United States and Japanese governments in 1933 when he expelled 112 Japanese citizens from Guam after their residence permits expired.
The Guam Museum opened during his term. The Edmund South. Root Agricultural School in Guam is named in his honor.