Namesake

Rear Adm. Stout was born June 15, 1903, in Dover, Ohio. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, on appointment from the Sixteenth District of Ohio in 1922. Stout graduated and was commissioned an Ensign, June 3, 1926. Following graduation, Stout reported aboard USS Cincinnati (CL 6). From June 1931 to April 1933, Stout served his Department Head tours aboard the destroyers USS Breckinridge (DD 148) and USS Hatfield (DD231).

He reported to the Naval Postgraduate School, Annapolis, Maryland, July 1933. He remained in Annapolis, serving from May 1934 to June 1936 as an instructor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Physics at the Naval Academy. In June 1936, he was ordered to duty afloat as the Executive Officer and Navigator of the destroyer USS Elliot (DD 146), returning to the Naval Academy in 1939 to again serve as an instructor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Physics.

After instruction at the Mine Warfare School, Yorktown, Virginia, Stout assumed command of the destroyer minelayer USS Bresse (DM 18). He was in command when, docked at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked, Dec. 7, 1941.  During the attack, guns from the Breese shot down one enemy bomber. Subsequently, Brees set sail and participated in a depth-charge attack on a midget submarine.

In September 1942, Stout became Commissioning Commanding Officer of the destroyer USS Claxton (DD 571), which operated with Destroyer Squadron 23 (the "Little Beavers") in the Solomon Islands. For outstanding service in command of Claxton, he was awarded two Navy Crosses. He is also entitled to the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to Destroyer Squadron 23. He next served as Commander, Destroyer Division 10, where he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against enemy Japanese forces in Ormoc Bay, Leyte, Philippine Islands, Dec. 7, 1944.

From February 1945 until January 1946, he was Commander, Destroyer Squadron 56, after which he served as Chief Staff Officer to Commander, San Francisco Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. In June 1948, he assumed command of the destroyer tender USS Sierra (AD 18). Between September 1949 and January 1952 he had duty in connection with industrial plants with the Officer of Naval Material, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

In January 1952, he became Commander, Mine Squadron 3, Commander, Western Pacific Minesweeping Force and Commander, Task Group 95.6, participating in the Korean area of hostilities. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

In April 1953, Stout reported as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics to the Commandant of the Eleventh Naval District, with headquarters in San Diego, California, and in that capacity also served as District Plan Officer. He remained there, and in 1956 was the Acting Commandant of the Eleventh Naval District, until relieved of all active duty pending retirement. On June 30, 1956, Stout was transferred to the retired list of the U.S. Navy and simultaneously advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on the basis of combat awards. He died onMarch 23, 1987, in La Mesa, California.