Spruance became a shadowy sort of legend in the Navy. Naval Academy in 1906 and from the Naval War College in 1927 where he taught for a few years. To the Aleutians, the Japanese dispatched an invasion task force of three transports carrying 2,400 troops, supported by two heavy cruisers, a two-carrier support force and a covering group of four battleships. A decisive victory, Spruance and Fletcher's actions at Midway helped turn the tide of the Pacific war in favor of the Allies. The Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis has a meeting room named for Spruance as well as displays honoring his career and that of the USS Indianapolis. When Yorktown was struck at Midway, however, Fletcher transferred his flag to the cruiser Astoria and placed Spruance tactically in charge. The gallant carrier was crippled but nearly succeeded in reaching safety before torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-68 finally sank her three days later. [21] Buell quotes Spruance speaking with Morison: As a matter of tactics I think that going out after the Japanese and knocking their carriers out would have been much better and more satisfactory than waiting for them to attack us, but we were at the start of a very important and large amphibious operation and we could not afford to gamble and place it in jeopardy. [22] Spruance later chose the battleship USSNew Jersey as his flagship, as the huge Iowa-class battleship had both room for his staff and the speed to keep up with the fast carrier task forces. On November 24, Spruance relieved Nimitz as Commander, US Pacific Fleet. He was modest and candid about himself. Commanded the first Japanese air strike against Midway Island at the beginning of the battle. As part of this reorganization, the force became known as the Fifth Fleet when Spruance was in charge and the Third Fleet when Halsey was in command. His new duties involved planning rather than operations, and Spruance chafed for more action. President Harry S. Truman appointed him ambassador to the Philippines in January 1952, and he served until March 1955. He was in this post on June 4, 1942, when the Japanese navy attacked Midway Island in force. So the US navy had a good idea of what to expect from the Japanese fleet and how to counterattack it. He decided to launch the planes from Enterprise and Hornet when they were about 175 miles from the enemys calculated position instead of postponing takeoff for another two hours in order to diminish the distance. Retiring to Pebble Beach, CA, he died there on December 13, 1969. B. Jim Crow Laws My mind is blank. Admiral Spruance died on 13 December 1969, at his home in Pebble Beach , California. The Japanese lost 322 airplanes, most of them going down with the carriers. The following year, they made me executive officer of the transport Agamemnon, bringing troops home from France. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Command. When New Mexico was struck by two kamikaze on the night of 12 May 1945 a hasty search by Spruance's staff found the Admiral manning a fire hose amidship. [28], His achievements in the navy were well known, but himself much less. Four fleet carriers and the heavy cruiser Mikuma were sunk; a cruiser, three destroyers, an oiler and a battleship were damaged. Most common sailors were proud to serve under Halsey; most higher-ranking officers preferred to serve under Spruance. No detail was too small to bring these American prisoners home. While in that capacity he assumed additional duty as a member of the board on doctrine of aircraft in connection with fleet fire control. That achievement brought praise from Churchill, who wrote to Navy Secretary James Forrestal, Admiral Spruance is again to be congratulated for another fine job. Navy Secretary Frank Knox said of Kwajalein: The Japanese had been there 20 years. In August 1943 Spruance was placed in command of the Central Pacific Force, which, on April 29, 1944, was redesignated as the Fifth Fleet. Besides his family, he loved the companionship of his pet schnauzer, Peter. Admiral Yamamoto had hoped to fight a classic-style sea battle with battleships, but Spruance had proved that the aircraft carrier was now emerging as the capital ship of naval combat forces. Naval Academy in 1906 and received further education in electrical engineering a few years later. About his intellect he was equally unpretentious: "Some people believe that when I am quiet that I am thinking some deep and important thoughts, when the fact is that I am thinking of nothing at all. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. "Well, pick it up and put it back," was Spruance's measured response.[8]. Having been promoted to rear admiral in December 1939, he was directed to assume command of the Tenth Naval District (San Juan, PR) in February 1940. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. The following year, the new admiral was ordered to the Pacific. HistoryLearning.com. His chance would come. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer. Serving in Manila, Spruance remained abroad until resigning his post in 1955. In the course of a two-hour interview, he stood or walked about all the timenot restlessly, but slowly and deliberately. Admiral Spruance explained the U.S. victory at Midway in the following way. He never did things the same way twice. The first Japanese airstrike was followed by another. Spruance was about to face the sternest test in his long, distinguished career. When you moved into Admiral Spruance's command, the printed instructions were up to date, and you did things in accordance with them.[19]. Spruance was put in command of Task Force 16, which included two carriers: USS Enterprise and USS Hornet, and was instrumental in the decisive US victory in the Battle of Midway. This approach of bypassing Japanese strong points, such as Truk, was applied on a large scale as the Allies devised their strategy for moving across the central Pacific. The Japanese lost 19 ships sunk, seven probably sunk and more than 200 aircraft destroyed, and their installations were bombed and strafed. In May 1942, intelligence suggested that the Japanese were planning on assaulting Midway Island. Hiryu class Japanese aircraft carrier that was the flagship of the second detachment of the carrier strike force. Furthermore, Spruance ordered that the air squadrons fly directly to their targets before assembling every squadron into a proper formation, gambling that the attacks would leave the enemy carriers in disarray and delay the launching of their own counterstrike. He enjoyed hot chocolate and would make it for himself every morning. She went down with Admiral Yamaguchi, an outstanding flag officer who, it was said, would have been Yamamotos successor had he lived. He also held several engineering, intelligence, staff and Naval War College positions up to the 1940s. He was survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs. Gerald S. Bogart of Newport, R.I. His only son, Navy Captain Edward D. Spruance, who served for 30 years, was killed in a car accident in Marin County, Calif., in May 1969. Spruance received the Navy Cross for his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.[23]. Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance was a key American naval commander who served in the Pacific Theater of World War II. In July 1907 he transferred to the battleship Minnesota and was aboard her during the historic around the world cruise of the Great White Fleet from 1907 to 1909. Terms of Use| How did Paul's education Following a stint aboard USS Cincinnati, Spruance was made commander of the destroyer USS Bainbridge in March 1913 with the rank of lieutenant (junior grade). Answer: Admiral Yamamoto had hoped to fight a classic-style sea battle with battleships, but Spruance had proved that the aircraft carrier was now emerging as the capital ship of naval combat forces. The Japanese were trying to tow Soryu to safety when she was torpedoed and sunk by the U.S. submarine Nautilus. At 8:20 a.m., Nagumos observers reported a group of American ships 200 miles away. It was bombed by dive bombers from the Enterprise and as scuttled shortly after Nagumo was forced by his staff to evacuate. The three-day operation was the most extensive ever undertaken by carriers. He organized the Japanese counterattack on the American carriers and is credited with the sinking of the USS Yorktown, the only American Carrier sunk at Midway. Admiral Halsey was given command of the Third Fleet, and later that year Task Force 58 was transferred to Halseys fleet. Spruance expressed his personal feelings on this matter as follows: So far as my getting five star rank is concerned, if I could have got it along with Bill Halsey, that would have been fine; but, if I had received it instead of Bill Halsey, I would have been very unhappy over it. erful leader. Captain George C. Dyer of the light cruiser Astoria, who served under both Spruance and Halsey, summed up the view of many ship captains: My feeling was one of confidence when Spruance was there. Mitschers force pursued the Japanese fleet and engaged it the following day in the Philippine Sea, sinking the light carrier Hiyo and two oilers (in addition to which submarines Albacore and Cavalla had sunk Taiho and Shokaku the previous day). the prospects for its inclusion in doctrine The logical starting point is Admiral Chester Nimitz's famous "letter of instruction" (actually, of course, transmitted . When she went to sea in 1916, he went with her. [3] After the war, Spruance was appointed President of the Naval War College, and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines. >The fleet units shielding the Marianas invasion forces were also under Spruances command. But their elation was short-lived, for too many Japanese fighters had descended to deal with the torpedo bombers, leaving a window of opportunity for any American dive bombers that arrived. Its commanding officers Admiral Yamaguchi and the ship's captain both stayed aboard their ship. In 1949, naval historian Samuel Eliot Morison noted that Spruance was subjected to criticism for not pursuing the retreating Japanese and allowing the surface fleet to escape. The Turning Point in the Pacific. He was commissioned an ensign in 1908, and during a tour of shore duty he took a postgraduate course in electrical engineering in Schenectady, N.Y. Shortly before his retirement, Spruance received the following Letter of Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy: Your brilliant record of achievement in World War II played a decisive part in our victory in the Pacific. Known for his calm in moments of crisis, Admiral Spruance became one of the U.S. Navy's largest assets in World War II. Traveling to the Pacific, he was in this post when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 forcing the US to enter the war. It was a cool, clear day. He was a diligent, neat and gentle boy. Moving forward in mid-1944, Spruance embarked on a campaign in the Marianas Islands. Spruance graduated from the U.S. Just before the planned invasion of Midway island in June 1942, Halsey suddenly became ill with shingles. The U.S. fleet lost fewer men, but it lost a fleet carrier while the Japanese lost only the light carrier Shoho. He was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. At Midway, dive bombers from the Enterprise crippled sank four larger carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The US intelligence services could predict the way the Japanese carriers and planes would be approaching the battle. Falling ill with shingles, Halsey recommended that Spruance lead Task Force 16, centered on the carriers USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet (CV-8), in his stead. Meanwhile, the Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands had been carried out as planned on June 3. It was hit and shortly after destroyed by American dive bombers. Following the campaign, Spruance turned the fleet over to Halsey and began planning operations to capture Iwo Jima. Spruance had earned a restful retirement at his home in Pebble Beach, Calif., 125 miles south of San Francisco, with his wife, son and daughter. Born on 3 July 1886, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906. Spruance became Commander of the 5th Fleet in November 1943, which presented him with command of the Central Pacific Forces. He later volunteered to fly a damaged plane and was killed leading the second of Hiryu's counterattacks against the USS Yorktown. By shortly after 9 a.m., planes from Yorktown were also on their way. The son of Alexander and Annie Spruance, Raymond Ames Spruance was born at Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1886. US Navy SBD dive bombers at the Battle of Midway, June 4, 1942. edward dean spruancegarberiel battery charger manual 26th February 2023 / in what's happening in silsbee, tx today / by / in what's happening in silsbee, tx today / by The victory at Midway, meanwhile, was a tonic for American morale, which had not yet recovered from the disastrous December 7, 1941, raid on Pearl Harbor. His next assignment was command of the destroyer Aaron Ward, and then USS Perceval. He enjoyed hot chocolate and would make it for himself every morning. This time we were right because the enemy did what we expected him to do. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. ThoughtCo. Early on, Halsey had led his task force on hit-and-run raids against the Japanese in the western Pacific: striking the Gilbert and Marshall islands in February 1942, Wake Island in March, and projecting the air power of the Doolittle Raid against the Japanese homeland in April. Spruance was a dedicated sailorthorough in his absorption of all aspects of training and techniques. After three days of pre-invasion bombardment, Marines landed on Roi Islet and captured it the same day. His classmates included Arthur L. Bristol, William L. Calhoun, William A. Glassford, Charles C. Hartigan, Aubrey W. Fitch, Frank J. Fletcher, Robert L. Ghormley, Isaac C. Kidd, John S. McCain Sr., Leigh Noyes, Ferdinand L. Reichmuth, John H. Towers, Russell Willson, and Thomas Withers. He served as an instructor at the Naval War College from 1935 to 1938. Unites States Rear Admiral in command of Task Force 16 on the USS Enterprise. A number of torpedo squadrons from the airfields and carriers launch attacks on the Japanese carriers but score no hits and almost all planes involved were shot down. The Japanese navy could never accept this catastrophic loss. The battle would open in the mist-shrouded Aleutians with airstrikes against Dutch Harbor on June 3, followed by landings at three points on June 6. Admiral Spruance was buried with full honors alongside Admirals Nimitz and Kelly Turner in a military cemetery overlooking San Francisco Bay. Although there are no options attached we can say the following. The American toll was 1,100 dead and almost 2,300 wounded. President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated Spruance for promotion to full admiral on February 10, 1944, and he was approved. When Yorktown was struck at Midway, dive bombers States Rear admiral command... Nearly succeeded in reaching safety before torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-68 finally sank her three days of pre-invasion bombardment Marines. 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