Rear Admiral Hutch I. CONE, our ship's namesake, was born in 1871. He was appointed to the Naval Academy from Florida in 1890, graduating in 1894. He served as Assistant Engineer on the U.S.S. BALTIMORE in the battle of Manila Bay in 1898. When the U.S. Fleet was sent around the world during the Theodore Roosevelt administration, Admiral CONE, then a Lieutenant Commander, commanded a flotilla of "torpedo boats" which went around South America from the East Coast to California. In 1909 he was made Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering and was promoted to the temporary rank of Rear Admiral. He was in charge of engineering modernization of the Navy at the time, particularly conversion to turbines. In 1915 he was Marine Superintendent of the Panama Canal.

In 1917 and 1918 he was in command of the Naval Aviation in Europe under Admiral SIMS. In October 1918 he was crossing the Irish Sea on a Mail steamer which was torpedoed by the Germans. He was blown overboard by the last torpedo which hit the ship, and was severly injured. He was picked up unconscious after some hours in the water and ultimately recovered.

After World War I Admiral CONE attended the Naval War College, and was then assigned as Chief of Staff, Asiatic Fleet and Commander Flagship. He was retired as Rear Admiral in 1922 by reason of his war injuries.

After retirement he served on the U.S. Shipping Board (now the Maritime Commission) under Presidents Coolidge, Hoover, and F.D. Roosevelt. President Roosevelt appointed him as chairman. He also was Vice Present of the Guggenheim Fund for promotion of aeronautics. At the time of his death in February 1941, he was chairman of the board of Moore-McCormack Steamship Company.

Mrs. H.I. CONE, his widow, sponsored USS CONE at its launching at Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Is., N.Y. on 10 May 1945.