José Toribio Merino Saavedra

José Toribio Merino Saavedra (died January 1942) was a Chilean naval officer who served as Director General of the Chilean Navy in 1927 and as its first Inspector General from 1927 to 1928.

He was the father of Admiral José Toribio Merino, who later headed the Navy from 1973 to 1990.

Biography

Merino pursued a career as an officer in the Chilean Navy and attained the rank of vice admiral. Among his commands was the training ship General Baquedano, which he commanded during its 1917 training cruise along the Chilean coast.

In 1927, Merino became Director General of the Navy, succeeding Vice Admiral Juan Schroeder Peña. Following an institutional reorganization later that year, the position was replaced by that of Inspector General of the Navy, with Merino becoming the first officer to hold the new post. He remained Inspector General until 1928, when he was succeeded by Rear Admiral Felipe Wiegand.

During his administration, the Navy reorganized its communications services. In 1927, Merino established the Navy Communications Service to centralize responsibility for radiotelegraphic, visual, and acoustic communications. The following year, the Naval Communications School was inaugurated.

Merino was married to Bertina Castro Varela. Their children included José Toribio Merino Castro, who also pursued a naval career and later became Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Navy. Merino Saavedra died in January 1942. Following funeral services in Valparaíso, he was buried in the Chilean Navy mausoleum.