It was named for George Washington Rodgers who was born Oct. 20, 1822. Before the Civil War, he served as an officer in several different squadrons operating in foreign waters.
In 1861, he was commandant of the midshipmen at the US Naval Academy at Anapolis when it was moved to Rhode Island for the duration of the war. Annapolis was deemed to be too close to Confederate territory.
In July, 1862 he was promoted to commander and took command of the USS Catskill, a single-turreted US monitor in 1863.
He commanded her during the furious July 10, 1863, naval bombardment of Morris Island, SC, in which Confederate fire struck his ship more than 60 times and pierced the deck in several places.
In an attack on Fort Wagner on July 20th, a Confederate shell struck the top of the pilot house killing Rodgers instantly. He was the only officer to lose his life on board a monitor due to Confederate gunfire.
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