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WW2 Admirals

Started by Trench, May 19, 2024, 09:59:24 PM

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Trench

Who would you deem our best WW2 Navy Admiral and why? Obviously each had different roles. I'd love to hear if anyone knows any stories about these fine men.

Nimitz
Halsey
Spruance
King

LennG


 I have told this story several times but since you asked about Admirals, I can add this.

I had a very good friend who passed away a couple of years ago, who was on the USS Missouri when the Japanese surrendered. When he passed, he was one of 4 others who were still alive from that crew. He was a mar one who was assigned to the Missouri and all they did was train for the invasion of Japan.
So what about the Admiral? Since the Missouri was the flagship of the Pacific fleet, Admiral Halsey was its commander and was always on the ship. My friend used to relate stories to me about how Halsey used to come down and play volleyball with the crew. He always inquired about their families and, to my friend, just seemed like a general good guy. The crew loved him for that. They never knew about the bombs dropped on Japan, but at the end of a day in August 1945, Halsey came on the intercom and told all crew to wear their dress uniforms for the next day, they all knew something was up. When they saw McArthur land on the flight deck word was out that the Japanese were going to surrender.
The Missouri was the last ship to return to the USA, maybe 6 months after the war. It was the flagship and it made its way back visiting many other ports. Halsey always let the men have liberty when ver he was able to.

I can't speak of any military genius about him, but as a Admiral, he was well respected by his crew.
I HATE TO INCLUDE THE WORD NASTY< BUT THAT IS PART OF BEING A WINNING FOOTBALL TEAM.

Charlie Weiss

Trench

Thank you very much for sharing that story. I enjoy hearing about that generation

MightyGiants

Quote from: Trench on May 19, 2024, 09:59:24 PMWho would you deem our best WW2 Navy Admiral and why? Obviously each had different roles. I'd love to hear if anyone knows any stories about these fine men.

Nimitz
Halsey
Spruance
King


I am not sure how one could rank these admirals.  They all did a good job in their own context.  I will say, the US Navy in the Pacific was at quite the disadvantage at the start of the war. 

Consider:

Advantage USN

Broke Japanese codes
Far greater industrial might and manpower
Superior radar
Better damage control

Advantage IJN

Better night fighting ability (at least early in war)
Superior planes (until later in the war)
Superior torpedoes (the US torpedoes didn't even work much of the time and it took nearly the whole war to fix)
Better tactics early
More capital ships early
SMART, TOUGH, DEPENDABLE

Jolly Blue Giant

I don't know much about the admirals, but my father was a navy man in WWII and the Korean War. My dad was a boatswain mate on the USS New Jersey (Big Mo's sister ship) and he had a 35mm camera and took a lot of pictures and sold them to other sailors who didn't have cameras. I once pointed at a picture and asked him what that picture was, and he said, "that's Bull Halsey, our admiral". He was genuinely star struck to meet Halsey. Unfortunately, I don't have the picture and my dad is no longer around so that I can ask him about Halsey. I know he admired Halsey and was over-the-top excited to meet him and take his picture

I suspect all the admirals were all excellent warriors. I only know who Halsey was, and that he was called "Bull", because of my father
The joke I told yesterday was so funny that,
apparently, HR wants to hear it tomorrow  :laugh: