United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace.
He is an older brother to Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry who compes the opening of Japan to the West by threat of force.
He serves in the War of 1812 against Britain.
Perry supervises the building of a fleet at Erie, Pennsylvania, at the age of 27.
He earns the title "Hero of Lake Erie" for leading American forces in a decisive naval victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, receiving a Congressional Gold Medal and the Thanks of Congress.
His leadership materially aids the successful outcomes of all nine Lake Erie military campaign victories, and the fleet victory is a turning point in the battle for the west in the War of 1812.
Perry becomes embroiled in a long standing and festering controversy with the Commander of the USS Niagara, Captain Jesse Elliott, over their conduct in the battle, and both are the subject of official charges that are lodged.
In 1815, he successfully commands the Java in the Mediterranean during the Second Barbary War.
So seminal is his career that he is lionized in the press (being the subject of scores of books and articles), has been heavily memorialized, and many places and ships have been named in his honor.
