Rear Admiral Aaron Ward (October 10, 1851 – July 5, 1918) was an officer in the United States Navy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served during the Spanish–American War. Early years Aaron Ward was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was the son of Brigadier General Ward B. Burnett who had served as the colonel of 2nd New York Volunteers during the Mexican War and also served as a brigadier general in the New York militia during the Civil War. Ward took the name of his maternal grandfather Major General Aaron Ward of the New York Militia. Ward entered the United States Naval Academy with the rank of midshipman on September 28, 1867, graduating on June 6, 1871. Career He was ordered to the steam frigate California on the Pacific Squadron, and was promoted to ensign July 14, 1872. He next served in steam sloop in the West Indies from 1873 to 1874, before reporting to the screw frigate on the European Station, and was promoted to master on February 8, 1875. Ward served a tour of duty at the Naval Academy from 1876 to 1879. Next he served with the training squadron in 1879 through 1882, receiving his commission as lieutenant on November 25, 1881. Ward was occupied with various professional duties at the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island, and the New York Navy Yard through 1885. From 1885 to 1888 he was stationed in the sloops and on the Pacific Station. Between 1889 and 1894, Ward served as naval attaché in Paris, Berlin, and St. Petersburg. He sailed with armored cruiser in the West Indies and Brazil until 1894, and in protected cruiser in the Mediterranean through 1896. Spanish–American War During the Spanish–American War, Ward commanded the armed yacht . Commended for gallantry, he was advanced to lieutenant commander on March 3, 1899, for conspicuous service at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. Later career He then commanded the auxiliary cruiser for a year in the West Indies, followed by service as chief of staff to the Asiatic Squadron commander. From 1901 to 1908, Ward commanded the gunboats and , and then the armored cruiser , successively. He served for one year as supervisor of the harbor at New York before becoming an aide to the Secretary of the Navy in 1909. In 1910 Ward was promoted to rear admiral. In 1911 he