Francis J. Mee, whose service in the U.S. Navy spanned more than three decades, was born on August 11, 1899, on the White Earth Indian Reservation in northwest Minnesota. This reservation is home to the federally recognized White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (also known as the White Earth Nation). Mee’s mother was a member of the White Earth Nation and his father was of Scotch-Irish descent.
During the first several years of his life, Mee resided on the White Earth Indian Reservation. Sometime during the 1910s, he moved with his family to the city of Detroit Lakes in the west-central part of Minnesota. His mother, who spent their time there continuing to serve fellow members of her tribe as a translator and goodwill ambassador, impressed upon him the importance of their Native American heritage.
Mee ultimately developed a strong interest in serving in the U.S. Navy. In 1918, he was admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy. After graduating from there four years later, Mee was commissioned as an ensign.
Mee was subsequently assigned to the dreadnought battleship USS Tennessee (BB-43) as junior officer in that vessel’s engineering department. He was transferred to the destroyer USS Thompson (DD-305) in 1923 to serve as that ship’s assistant engineering officer. Mee’s proven technical expertise resulted in his returning to Annapolis in 1927 to further pursue his studies in mechanical engineering. The following year, Mee earned a master’s degree in this subject from Columbia University in the City of New York.
Mee went on to serve the destroyer USS MacLeish (DD-220) as an engineering officer and on board the gunboat USS Luzon (PG-47) as her patrol engineering officer. In 1934, he became commander of the minesweeper USS Robin (AM-3). The following year, he was assigned to the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) as her senior assistant engineer.
Over the next several years, Mee’s naval service included taking part in battles and other military actions in the Pacific Theater during World War II. One of his tours of duty in that global conflict involved serving on board the heavy cruiser USS Portland (CA-33).
In the post-war years, Mee was commanding officer of the U.S. Navy Mine Countermeasure Station at Panama City, Florida. He was also commander of the light cruiser USS Little Rock (CL-92). Mee retired from the Navy in 1952. At the time, he received the rank of rear admiral.
Mee, who spent a large part of his post-military career teaching at the Georgia Institute of Technology, died on December 29, 1990. He is buried with his wife Sue Katheryn at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Grand Valley State University Special Collections
For more information on Francis J. Mee, please check out https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/diversity/american-indians/francis-j-mee.html
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