A 1918 graduate of the Naval Academy, Admiral Ansel served on convoy escort duty in the closing months of World War I. He had a variety of duties in the interwar years, including study of amphibious warfare, service on board the cruiser USS Milwaukee (CL-5) and at the Naval Academy, and command of the destroyer USS Bulmer (DD-222) and Destroyer Division 14. During a tour in the War Plans Division of OpNav just prior to World War II, Ansel observed the poor state of U.S. Navy war planning. He was first CO of the oiler USS Winooski (AO-38), then had staff duty for the planning of the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and Southern France. In 1944-45, he commanded the light cruiser USS Philadelphia (CL-41), including support duty in the Mediterranean. After postwar staff duty in the support force off Japan, he was on a SecNav Board and then served 1947-49 as subchief of the U.S. naval mission to Brazil. Rear Admiral Ansel retired in 1949.