David Mitchell, age 15, of Pocatello, Ida., for his question:

WHO WAS ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY?

George Dewey was one of America's greatest naval heroes. He won fame during the Spanish American War when in 1898 he commanded the fleet that completely destroyed the enemy's ships in Manila Bay in the Philippines.

"You may fire when you are ready, Gridley," is the command Admiral Dewey gave to the captain of his flagship after he ordered his men to capture or destroy the Spanish fleet. The command has become famous.

Dewey was born in 1837 in Vermont and was in the United States Naval Academy's class of 1858. During the Civil War, as a lieutenant, he was with Admiral David Farragut in the successful capture of New Orleans.

Later in the Manila operation, he completely wiped out the Spanish fleet without the loss of a single American and with only eight of his men wounded. Six days later he was made an admiral.

From 1900 until his death in 1917 at the age of 80 he served as president of the General Board of the U.S. Navy.