Group of five, CWT Charles Ritz, US Navy

Group of five to Charles W. Ritz, US Navy: Navy Good Conduct Medal, hand-engraved “Charles/W. Ritz/USS/St. Louis/Aug 10, 1914″, with two clip-on bars “US Rec’g Ship at/Mare Island, Cal [CSC 37497, Aug 15, 1919]” and “US Naval Hospital/Mare Island, Cal [CSC37497, 4 Nov 1924]”; First Nicaragua Campaign Medal, Navy, split brooch, numbered “1016″ and edge-engraved “Charles W. Ritz, USS Colorado”; Mexican Service Medal, Navy, numbered “6755″ (rubbing over the number); World War I Victory Medal, clasp “Destroyer” (a Fulford clasp); Veterans of Foreign Wars membership medal, with US Navy center.

Charles Wherritt Ritz, Chief Water Tender, was born in Kansas in 1890 and died in San Diego in 1980. His service began in August 1910 and he was released from the Navy in December 1926. He served aboard USS Colorado in 1911-1913 (including its time in Nicaraguan waters), USS West Virginia, 1913-1914, and USS St. Louis, 1914-1916. In 1915, he served aboard USS Chauncey (DD-3) through its loss in November 1917. On 19 November 1917, USS Chauncey was escorting a convoy about 110 miles west of Gibralta

r. Operating at night in total darkness, she was rammed by the British steamer, SS Rose, and sank in 1500 fathoms of water. While 70 crewmen were rescued, 21 men (including the captain) were lost. CWT Ritz transferred to the reserve in 1926 and retired in 1939. Although he tried to rejoin the Navy in World War II, he was not accepted. Ritz died in 1980 and is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.