Bertram Joseph Rodgers (March 18, 1894 – November 30, 1983) was a highly decorated vice admiral in the United States Navy during World War II.

Among other duties, Rodgers served as midshipman-ensign and ordnance officer of the Second Cadet Battalion under his classmate and future admiral, Ralph E. Davison, and also was active in Hop Committee.

[2] Among his classmates were several future distinguished general officers, including Frank E. Beatty Jr., Russell S. Berkey, Ralph E. Davison, Calvin T. Durgin, C. Turner Joy, Gerald F. Bogan, John E. Wilkes, Homer L. Grosskopf, Osborne B. Hardison, George F. Hussey Jr., Robert Carney, Oscar R. Cauldwell, William Fechteler, Don P. Moon, Denis L. Ryan, Samuel P. Ginder, Charles P. Cecil, Willard A. Kitts, Andrew C. McFall, Henry M. Mullinnix, Thorvald A. Solberg, Maurice G. Holmes, Gilbert C. Hoover, Arnold W. Jacobsen or Arthur W.

He was subsequently attached to the battleship USS South Carolina, participated in the patrol cruises and convoy escort duties in the Atlantic Ocean during World War I and made stops in Cuba, the Panama Canal, and New Orleans.

He served as engineer and repair officer until September 1925, when he returned to the United States for duty at Portsmouth Navy Yard in connection with fitting out of submarine USS Bonita.

Upon the commissioning of that vessel, Rodgers was appointed an executive officer under Lieutenant Commander Charles A. Lockwood and participated in the patrolling the Atlantic shores and Caribbean until May 1927.

[3] After serving with Blakely with the Scouting Fleet, Rodgers returned to Panama Canal Zone and assumed duty as port captain, Balboa Naval Facility, in October 1935.

Upon request to be assigned for combat duty, Rodgers was ordered to Hawaii, where he was appointed commanding officer of the heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City.

He commanded his task force during the Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of the Southern France in August 1944, where his command assisted in landing of assault troops, supplies and mechanized equipment of the 7th Army, mostly Major General William Eagle's 45th Infantry (Thunderbirds) Division on a stretch of beach between Pointe des Sardineux and Pointe de la Garonne.

His efficient direction of unloading operations of convoys were contributing factors in sustaining the rapid advance of our ground forces into enemy-held territory.

He was also made British Honorary Commander of the Order of the Bath and received Legion of Honour and French Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with Palm.

[6][10][11] Following the war, Rodgers remained in Pacific and his command was transferred to the United States Fifth Fleet under Admiral Raymond A. Spruance for participation in the Invasion of Japan.

At the end of his tenure, he witnessed the sinking of his World War II ship, USS Salt Lake City, which was used as a target hull on May 25, 1948.

He was subsequently appointed Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, in April 1948 and took part in the observation tour during the annual resupply expedition to Naval Petroleum Reserve Nr.