Editing Thomas Washington (section)

==World War I==
On 20 April 1914, Washington—by then a captain—assumed the duties of [[Hydrographer of the Navy (US)|Hydrographer of the Navy]]. World War I broke out in [[Europe]] less than four months after Washington assumed the Hydrographer's duties, depriving the United States of its external sources of oceanographic and hydrographic information. Washington and his small staff responded by independently gathering the necessary data for use by the United States Navy and [[United States Merchant Marine|Merchant Marine]].

Relieved as hydrographer on 23 June 1916, Washington was given command of the battleship {{USS|Florida|BB-30|3}}. A few months after the United States entered the war in the spring of 1917, ''Florida'' crossed the Atlantic with [[United States Battleship Division Nine (World War I)|Battleship Division Nine]] to operate with the British [[Grand Fleet]]. The manner in which he carried out this assignment won Washington the [[Navy Distinguished Service Medal|Distinguished Service Medal]] for "exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility."