Rear Admiral James Freeman Hottel, United States Coast Guard (Retired), was born in Washington, D.C., on November 24, 1876, the son of Martin V. and Julia Gove Hottel. He was graduated from Central High School in Washington, in the class of 1895. Appointed a cadet in the U.S. Coast Guard on May 22, 1896, he received a commission as an ensign on April 28, 1898.
His first assignment was to the Dallas, at Boston, Mass. Detached from this ship in October of 1898, he served aboard the Onondaga, based at Philadelphia, Pa., for the next two years. From November, 1900, to January, 1901, he was attached to the Galveston, Mobile, Ala., and then reported for duty to the Winona, also stationed at Mobile.
In August, 1902, he joined the cutter Hamilton at Jacksonville, Fla., and served on this ship until March of the following year when he was assigned to the McCulloch, Sausalito, Calif., for a cruise in the Bering Sea. From September, 1903, to May, 1905, he was attached to the Grant, Port Discovery, Wash., and during this time served temporarily on the Arcata during March of 1904.
His next assignment was to the Perry, Seattle, Wash., for patrol duty which included cruising the Bering Sea. From May to December, 1906, he served on the Thetis, based at Oakland, Calif., and then was attached to the Woodbury, at Portland, Me. Leaving the Woodbury in August, 1908, he reported for duty to the Winona at Cedar Key, Fla. In August, 1911, he was placed in command of the Snohomish at Neah Bay, Wash., and in October of the same year was transferred to duty aboard the McCulloch at San Diego, Calif. Detached as commanding officer of the McCulloch in January, 1913, he reported for duty to the Manhattan, New York, N.Y. Transferred from the command of this cutter in January, 1916, he served on the Onondaga, Norfolk, Va., until May of that year when he became commanding officer of the Tallapoosa at Mobile, Ala. During his assignment to the Tallapoosa he was in command of the Naval Forces of the 7th Naval District and served as Chief of Staff of that district from October to December, 1917.
In March, 1919, he left the Tallapoosa, for assignment to the New York Division, and became Assistant Inspector of Coast Guard stations, with headquarters at Patchogue, N.Y. In July, 1921, he reported to the Inspector for Hulls, Oakland, Calif., for duty in connections with fitting out of the cutter Haida, and served as commanding officer of that cutter for three years beginning in October, 1921. From October, 1924, to April, 1926, he was on duty at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C., and then reported as assistant to the Superintendent of the Construction and Repair at a Newport News, Va., plant building a cutter for the coast Guard. He served on this cutter, the Northland, as commanding officer from the spring of 1927 to March, 1929.
His next assignment was that of Chief of Staff of the Northwestern Division, Seattle, Wash., with additional duty as Inspector for the Pacific Coast. In July, 1929, he was designated as commander of the Northwestern Division, and in January, 1930, was transferred to the east coast where he took command of the Coast Guard Depot, Curtis Bay, Md.
He became commander of the Eastern Area and Captain of the Port of New York in June, 1934. In September of the following year his assignment as commander of the Eastern area was changed to that of Commander, New York Division, and he was designated coordinator of law enforcement activities of the Treasury Department Agencies in that division in the suppression of smuggling of liquor and narcotics. From July, 1937, to October, 1940, he served as commanding officer of the Fort Trumbull Training Station, New London, Conn., and as director of the Coast Guard Institute. In December of 1940, he was retired from active duty with the rank of read admiral.
Recalled to active duty in June, 1942, he served for approximately one month in the office of Defense Transportation, Executive Office of the President. Retired for a second time, he was again recalled to active serve in August of 1942, when he was assigned for duty with the War Shipping Administration. He then served with the Maintenance and Repair Division of the War Shipping Board in New York, N.Y.
After receiving a commission as an ensign on April 28, 1898, he was promoted in rank as follows: lieutenant (jg), June 30, 1902; lieutenant, January 27, 1908; lieutenant commander, June 12, 1920; commander, July 1, 1926; captain, November 27, 1927; and rear admiral (retired), December 1, 1940. For serve during the first World War, he received the Victory Medal with Patrol Clasp.
Rear Admiral Hottel married Ruby A. P. of Pensacola, Fla., in November, 1899. They have one son, Martin Perry, and one daughter, Katherine Alysworth.