Kimball was born in Paris, Maine, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1869.

After serving on early navy torpedo boats, Kimball designed machine guns and armored cars, later shifting his focus to the development of submarines in the 1890s.

Kimball was promoted to rear admiralin 1908 and led expeditionary forces to Nicaragua in 1909.

Kimball died in Washington, D.C., on January 26, 1930, at the age of 82.

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