Uriah Phillips Levy (1792-1862)

US Navy Commodore

Uriah Phillips Levy joined the United States Navy upon the outbreak of the War of 1812. His ship was captured near the beginning of the war by a British warship and he was taken prisoner for sixteen months. Upon his release, he returned to the Navy, determined to make a career there, despite facing strong antisemitism. In 1816, Lieutenant William Potter challenged Levy to a duel, and despite Levy's attempt to call it off, Potter was determined to have the "Damned Jew's" life, leaving Levy no choice but to kill Potter first. Levy was court-martialed six times - still a Navy record - largely for petty claims against him as a Jew, and he was dismissed from the Navy three times but reinstated by the President each time. Upon being appointed commander of the U.S.S. Vandalia in 1938, Levy removed the Navy punishment of lashing - which he felt was barbarous - and replaced it with public humiliation. For this, he was dismissed from the Navy for "cruel and scandalous" punishment. President John Tyler reinstated him and promoted him to Captain. Levy was dismissed a third time many years later, when the Navy issued the Naval Reform Act, but he was again reinstated, by President James Buchanan, and promoted to the rank of Commodore, the highest Naval position at the time.