how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlethow does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet

For his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Spruance was awarded the Navy Cross. 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. This gave rise to the description of Spruance as "an Admiral's admiral". One exception was Admiral John Towers, a constant critic of Spruance, whom Spruance came to despise for his naked ambition.[18]. Close to Japan, Allied planners intended to use Okinawa as a springboard for the eventual invasion of the Home Islands. Shortly after the Midway battle, Spruance became chief of staff to Admiral Nimitz, and in September 1942 was appointed as Deputy Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. In June 1931, Spruance returned to Newport, RI to serve on the staff of the Naval War College. In fact, Spruance had a knack for getting along with difficult people, including his friend Admiral Kelly Turner, the hotheaded commander of 5th Fleet's amphibious force. At the crucial Battle of Midway, your daring and skilled leadership routed the enemy in the full tide of his advance and established the pattern of air-sea warfare which was to lead to his eventual capitulation. He was a diligent, neat and gentle boy. He presided over US Forces in the Pacific during two decisive Allied victories: the Battle of Midway in 1942 and the 1944 Battle of the Philippines Sea. Overseeing the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943, he guided Allied forces as they advanced through the Gilbert Islands. Japanese aircraft carrier squadron under the command of Chuichi Nagumo in command of aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. It is regrettable that, owing to Spruances innate modesty and his refusal to create an image of himself in the public eye, he was never properly appreciated. They would draw them north to deal with a Japanese invasion in the bleak Aleutian Islands, and then strike at unprotected Midway. Spruance directed Operation Hailstone against the Japanese naval base Truk in February 1944 in which twelve Japanese warships, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft were destroyed. Spruance's fast carrier commander, Marc Mitscher, told his chief of staff Arleigh Burke: You and I have been in many battles, and we know there are always some mistakes. At that time, Admiral Nimitz instituted a unique arrangement in which the command of the vessels which made up the "Big Blue Fleet" alternated between Admiral William Halsey Jr., at which time it was identified as the Third Fleet and Task Force 38, and Admiral Spruance, when it became the Fifth Fleet and Task Force 58. [17], The Battle of Midway is considered by many to be a turning point of the war in the Pacific, along with the Guadalcanal campaign. Meanwhile, his search planes found no sign of any American warships. Commanding the battleship for nearly two years, Spruance was aboard when World War II began in Europe. Admiral William L. Calhoun saw him as a cold-blooded fighting fool. Admiral Spruance said that what they did was to wait until the Japanese ships were refueling, carrying weapons, and preparing their aircraft to attack them because the Japanese were in a vulnerable position. During this period, Spruance served aboard USS Minnesota (BB-22) during the cruise of the Great White Fleet. Shortly before leaving the Naval War College and retiring from the Navy on July 1, 1948, Admiral Spruance received a letter of commendation from the secretary of the Navy that read: Your brilliant record of achievement in World War II played a decisive part in our victory in the Pacific. He died on 13 December 1969 at the age of 83. 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. "World War II: Admiral Raymond Spruance." Just before the planned invasion of Midway island in June 1942, Halsey suddenly became ill with shingles. The Coral Sea fight was virtually a warm-up for the Battle of Midway, regarded later as the turning point of the war in the Pacific. He never smoked and drank little. The three-day operation was the most extensive ever undertaken by carriers. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, is named Spruance Hall. When not in command of the fleet the admirals, and their staffs, were based at Pearl Harbor and planned future operations. Kwajalein was in American hands, but the rest of the Marshalls groupabout 30 islands and more than 800 reefs scattered over hundreds of miles of oceanremained to be dealt with. Terms of Use| His squadron successfully ambushed and sank 3 Japanese Aircraft Carriers, Lieutenant in command of the USS Hornet air group. With the island's fall, Spruance immediately moved forward with Operation Iceberg. 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. At 8:20 a.m., Nagumos observers reported a group of American ships 200 miles away. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Official Navy historian Samuel Eliot Morison characterized Spruance's performance as "superb", and he was nicknamed "electric brain" for his calmness even in moments of supreme crisis, a reputation enhanced by his successful tactics. Spruance was an active man who thought nothing of walking eight or 10 miles a day. Born on 3 July 1886, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906. Weeks later . 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. His flagship was badly damaged by the Japanese and was hit by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine before sinking. After three days of pre-invasion bombardment, Marines landed on Roi Islet and captured it the same day. More to his liking was the study of foreign methods of naval fire control, which took him to London and Edinburgh. Japanese fleet under the direct command of Admiral Yamamoto with over 5 battleships and escort carrier Hosho. Five days after the Marshalls campaign, Spruance sent the Mitscher force to attack Tinian and Saipan in the Mariana Islands. Aboard the Japanese flattops, many torpedo-carrying planes were waiting for fighters to take off as the American planes dived. He was responsible for leading the 5th Fleet into the pivotal Battle of the Philippines Sea, nicknamed the 'Great Marianas Turkey Shoot' because a total of 365 Japanese planes were brought down. The two admirals presented a contrast in styles as Spruance tended to be quiet and meticulous while Halsey was brash and more impetuous. Japanese naval force tasked with the invasion of the Aleutian Islands under Vice Admiral Kakuta with aircraft carriers Junyo and Ryuho. He began attendance at the Naval War College in 1926, and graduated in 1927. Analyzing Information How does Admiral Spruance explain the U.S. victory HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Spruance graduated from the U.S. The Americans lost 74 carrier planes; the Japanese 80. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison believed he was one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history. Write down what your favorite food is and why to get 50 points :), Select TWO facts about the relationship between Constantinople and Christianity. In the seven-week campaign, 55 Japanese ships were sunk, five probably sunk and 74 damaged. The American losses were Yorktown, destroyer Hammann and 147 planes. Admiral Raymond Spruance on the balcony of the U.S. Embassy, Manila, while serving as U.S. The defenders fought fiercely but were unable to inflict any damage on the U.S. vessels. With the end of the war, Spruance aided in returning American troops home before moving through a succession of engineering postings and destroyer commands. The son of Alexander and Annie Spruance, Raymond Ames Spruance was born at Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1886. ), honoris causa degree from Central Philippine University in 1955, an institution of higher learning founded by the American Baptist missionary, William Orison Valentine in 1905. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. Meanwhile, the Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands had been carried out as planned on June 3. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. Biographies, 20th century collection, Navy Department Library. Capturing and occupying Midway was the brainchild-plan of commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. At 0530 June 4, a scout plane from Midway sighted the Kido Butai, however the scout only reported sighting "Two carriers and battleships", and giving course and speed. Spruance received the Navy Cross for his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.[23]. He served as Assistant Chief of Staff under Vice admiral Philip Andrews during the period of tensions between Greece and Turkey and was decorated with the Gold Cross of the Order of the Savior by the Government of Greece for his service. Spruance did not want to leave troops on the Marianas islands unguarded as he chased Jisaburo Ozawas retreating fleet. As the war progressed, Spruance became one of two primary fleet commanders, the other being Admiral William "Bull" Halsey, employed by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser, How does Admiral Spruance explain the U.S. victory, The Brown case began what trend in American She went down with Admiral Yamaguchi, an outstanding flag officer who, it was said, would have been Yamamotos successor had he lived. In one incident a distraught officer rushed to report, "Captain, we've just dropped a depth charge over the stern!" This saw Allied forces move against Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands. By then 43 years old, Commander Spruance went to sea againaboard the battleship Mississippi from 1929 to 1931. In August 1943 Spruance was placed in command of the Central Pacific Force, which, on April 29, 1944, was redesignated as the Fifth Fleet. While screening the American invasion of Saipan in June 1944, Spruance defeated the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. society in the 1950s? 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). He wrote the day after the attack and the same day he attended funeral services for the 54 Sailors and Marines killed in the attack. "[16] Both Fletcher and Nimitz recommended Spruance for the Distinguished Service Medal for his role in the battle. The Japanese intercepted this and soon started sending messages that "AF was short on water. This time we were right because the enemy did what we expected him to do. Born on 3 July 1886, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906. [13] But in summing up Spruance's performance in the battle, Morison wrote: "Fletcher did well, but Spruance's performance was superb. The U.S. casualties were 199 planes, 128 flight personnel and damage to four warships. Raymond A. Spruance. He is responsible for the Japanese battle plan to attack Midway and the Aleutian Islands. In October 1946 he was awarded the Armys Distinguished Service Medal for his exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services during the capture of the Marshall and Mariana islands. Admiral Spruance no.__!t to seek and destroy the Imperial Japanese Navy in a "decisive battle." Rather, Spruance chose to place highest priority on covering and defending the United States (U.S.) amphibious forces that were in the initial phase of the invasion of Salpan. Japanese escort carrier that was mainly responsible for launching scouts attached to Combined Fleet main body. King said to him "Spruance, you did a damn fine job there. . 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. The Navy, by law, was limited to four Fleet Admirals; three of these appointments were obvious: Ernest King, Chester Nimitz and William Leahy. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer.[20]. Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, U.S. Navy, April 1955 . Retribution was not long in coming. The Turning Point in the Pacific. Covered by fog and lashed by storms most of the time, they were generally unsuitable for air or naval bases. Returning to Newport, Spruance remained at the college until retiring from the US Navy on July 1, 1948. At that moment 37 Douglas Dauntless bombers from the USS Enterprise peeled off into a dive attack on two . A squadron of US Dive bombers which had arrived late after getting lost ambush the Japanese carriers bombing and resulting in the sinking of three out of four carriers. The American toll was 1,100 dead and almost 2,300 wounded. In July 1941, his responsibilities were expanded to include oversight of the Caribbean Sea Frontier. Naval Academy, graduating in 1906. My mind is blank. Though this gamble paid off, Enterprise air squadrons would pay a heavy price, flying in piece-meal and mostly without fighter escort. At Midway, dive bombers from the Enterprise crippled sank four larger carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Then U.S. dive bombers from Spruance's Enterprise flew to Nagumo's fleet of four carriers which, fatefully, were without air cover. In August 1943, Spruance, now a vice admiral, returned to sea as Commander Central Pacific Force. I am lazy, and I never have done things myself that I could get someone to do for me. Naval History and Heritage Command, "Biography of Raymond A. Spruance Press Release July 24, 1941, United States Navy Department", "Adm Spruance's Fitrep after Battle of Midway", Citation, Navy Cross, Raymond A. Spruance, "Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance America's Navy", "News Release: Navy Names Two New Guided Missile Destroyers", "War & Remembrance (Part 3) (May 26 July 25, 1942)", "War & Remembrance (Part 3) (May 26 July 25, 1942) 1988", Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 19411942, The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 19421944, Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 19441945, United States Ambassadors to the Philippines, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Raymond_A._Spruance&oldid=1137739908, Ambassadors of the United States to the Philippines, High Commissioners of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army), Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States), Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Articles with dead external links from July 2022, Articles with dead external links from December 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2016, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 05:43. The gloomy reports from Nagumo and his other commanders led Yamamoto to suspend his assault on Midway. . Spruances fleet had prevented the Japanese from reinforcing the Saipan garrison. The Japanese had been battered for weeks by aerial bombardment, and knew the invasion was imminent. He was drafted on short notice for his date with destiny. Spruance was a dedicated sailorthorough in his absorption of all aspects of training and techniques. Adding to the surprise factor was the fact that Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo did not believe the U.S. Pacific Fleet was at sea. He graduated from the U.S. Admiral Spruance could have been right. This was in July 1938, and this time he was the battleships commander. Once theBattle of the Philippine Sea came to an end, Spruance returned to Pearl Harbour to help plan other landings in the future. erful leader. Then Nagumo was dumbfounded to receive a search planes report of 10 enemy ships to the northeast, where no U.S. ships were supposed to be. He withdrew his ships westward, still hoping to draw Spruance into a trap. Admiral Nimitz praised Spruance for a remarkable job. Despite this, some detractors argued that Spruances tactics at Philippine Sea were overly cautious. Bombs destroyed the bridge of Kaga and set her ablaze from stem to stern. After his funeral, he was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery near the grave of his wartime commander, Nimitz. He held that post until the following February, when he was ordered back to the Naval War College at Newportthis time as president. 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. I am lazy, and I never have done things myself that I could get someone to do for me. He never smoked, and drank little. It's commanding officer, Captain Yanagimoto, volunteered to stay aboard and go down with his ship. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. Since US intelligence had reported the possibility that the Kido Butai would be operating in two separate task forces, that meant that Fletcher only knew the location of half of the carrier force. [27], Spruance was an active man who thought nothing of walking eight or 10 miles a day. Yamato class battleship that served as the Japanese Combined Fleet's Flagship, housing Admiral Yamamoto. The battle commenced on the morning of June4; the first several waves of U.S. attack aircraft were badly beaten, both near Midway and at sea around the Japanese task force. At Midway, Spruances force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. Enterprise dive bombers critically damaged two Japanese carriers including Nagumo's flagship Akagi; while the Yorktown air group, launched after Fletcher was confident that all Japanese carriers were accounted for, crippled the Soryu. 2015. With the battleship's completion, Spruance joined its crew and remained aboard until November 1917. On December 30, 1914, Spruance married Margaret Vance Dean, the daughter of an Indianapolis businessman. Hickman, Kennedy. By that time, he was said to be an expert on the many engines, instruments and guns that go into a battleship. Navy Secretary Frank Knox said of Kwajalein: The Japanese had been there 20 years. Lt. Kabayashi leads Japanese bombers from the Hiryu to attack the USS Yorktown. [32] Wouk writes in his book that "Spruance escaped [the Japanese fleet admiral] Yamamoto's terrible trap by acting on perfect military instinct. Four days after the invasion, all immediate objectives had been taken, and by February 8, 1944, all organized resistance had ceased. Known for his calm in moments of crisis, Admiral Spruance became one of the U.S. Navy's largest assets in World War II. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. A bust of Spruance is in the lobby. Spruance succeeded Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas in November 1945, a few months after the end of the war. In the footnote Morison says, Admiral Spruance, in commenting on the first draft of this volume, requested that I delete victor at and substitute who commanded a carrier task force at, butI have let it stand. When Nimitz named him commander of the disputed Central Pacific Area, this made him responsible for the planning and execution of the attack on the Gilbert Islands in November 1943. On June 14, while Mitscher led a diversionary attack on the Bonin Islands 800 miles to the north, U.S. Marines and infantrymen stormed ashore. The Japanese planned to outwit the U.S. forces at Midway. Midway Island sent a false message stating that its water distillation plant had been damaged and that the base needed fresh water. During the Midway engagement which resulted in the defeat of and heavy losses to the enemy fleet, his seamanship, endurance, and tenacity in handling his task force were of the highest quality. Web. [31] The series, based on Herman Wouk's book of the same name, shows Spruance's decision to end the battle and retreat rather than confront the rest of the Japanese fleet as having been opposed by his subordinates, and he was mocked behind his back as "lacking the stomach." This was followed by a promotion to Deputy Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet in September. Retiring to Pebble Beach, CA, he died there on December 13, 1969. Morison said: Keeping in his mind the picture of widely disparate forces, yet boldly seizing every opening, Raymond A. Spruance emerged from this battle one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history.He was bold and aggressive when the occasion demanded offensive tactics; cautious when pushing his luck too far might have lost the fruits of victory. He attended grade and high schools in East Orange, N.J., and in Indianapolis. From 1952 to 1955 Spruance served as the American ambassador to Philippines. Halsey was aggressive and a risk taker. 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. During the attacks, the Japanese lost twelve warships, thirty-two merchant ships, and 249 aircraft. From the remaining enemy carrier, Hiryu, Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi launched bombers and torpedo planes against Yorktown. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Command. >The fleet units shielding the Marianas invasion forces were also under Spruances command. After six furious minutes, the three carriers were left burning. Flagship of Kakuta. The repulse of the Japanese invasion fleet at Midway, and critically the destruction of the Kido Butai, allowed the U.S. to gain parity in the naval air war. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. "[28], The destroyers Spruance(DD-963), lead ship of the Spruance class of destroyers, and Spruance(DDG-111), 61st ship of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, were named in his honor.[29]. About us| In the course of a two-hour interview, he stood or walked about all the timenot restlessly, but slowly and deliberately. The Japanese felt that they had won the encounter. The following year, they made me executive officer of the transport Agamemnon, bringing troops home from France. Finishing the course, he completed a tour in the Office of Naval Intelligence before being posted to USS Mississippi (BB-41) in October 1929 as executive officer. [9] On the other hand, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester Nimitz knew he must intercept the Japanese invasion fleet, and that he must give battle to the enemy aircraft carriers before they could project their overwhelming power against the naval air station at Midway. There are submarines, there are mini-submarines, and then there are human torpedoes. Samuel Eliot Morison agreed: Power of decision and coolness in action were perhaps Spruances leading characteristics. While one was at sea, the other would be planning their next operation. 1, and he commanded her until 1914. Recently promoted to rear admiral, Spruance was assigned to command a division of cruisers in the Pacific under Admiral Nimitz in 1941. 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. 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. He was appointed as Ambassador to the Philippines by President Harry S. Truman, and served there from 1952 to 1955. When Vice Adm. Bull Halsey was confined to a hospital with a skin disease, Pacific Fleet Commander Nimitz appointed Spruance to succeed him as commander of Task Force 16. He commanded the battleship USS Mississippi from April 1938 to December 1939, when he was promoted to rear admiral. An academic building at the Naval War College was also named for him. C. American Dream But what was important about this actionthe first naval battle in history fought by fleets that never came within sight of each otherwas that the U.S. Navy had thwarted the enemys planned capture of Port Moresby in strategic New Guinea. . These raids were critical to moralesetting a new tone of aggressiveness by U.S. commanders while providing invaluable battle experience for the commanders and sailors of the U.S. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. After the enemys raids on Midway, Admiral Spruance ordered the launching of every possible plane to search for and attack the Japanese carriers. The defeat effectively destroyed the Japanese Navy's air arm. northwestward of Midway. On October 16, 1946, the former Secretary of War, Robert P. Patterson, presented the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Admiral Spruance, with citation as follows: Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, U.S. Navy, as Task Force Commander during the capture of the Marshall and Marianas Islands, rendered exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services from January to June 1944. Having attained the rank of commander, Spruance attended the Senior Course at the Naval War College in July 1926. Then it was back to Pebble Beach. The gallant carrier was crippled but nearly succeeded in reaching safety before torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-68 finally sank her three days later. The U.S. Navy counterforce sank all four Japanese carriers while losing one of its own, Yorktown. For that assault, Spruance led the most powerful naval strike force in history. His father wanted him to go to West Point, but young Raymond yearned to go to sea. The young, ambitious officer was then assigned to Bainbridge, U.S. destroyer No. I can thank heredity for a sound constitution, and myself for taking care of that constitution." This saw him win a victory at Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944 as part of the Allied "island-hopping" campaign across the Pacific. He commanded U.S. naval forces during one of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The sole survivor of the squadrons 30 officers and men was Ensign George H. Gay, Jr., who spent several hours floating in the water, watching the battle. His air group is credited with the sinking of 4 Japanese aircraft carriers during Midway. The Americans were able to count on Yorktown, however, after patching her up in an astonishing two days instead of 90 days as had been estimated. He did not discuss his private life, feelings, prejudices, hopes or fears, except with his family and his closest friends. As his staff worked, Halsey used the fleet to win the Battle of Leyte Gulf. His wife, Margaret Dean (18881985), is buried alongside him, as are Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, his longtime friend Admiral Richmond K. Turner, and Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, an arrangement made by all of them while living. Two minutes later, 37 dive bombers from Enterprise, led by Lt. Cmdr. [14][15] For his actions at the battle of Midway Rear Admiral Spruance was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and cited as follows: "For exceptionally meritorious service as Task Force Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. "When I look at myself objectively," he wrote in retirement, "I think that what success I may have achieved through life is largely due to the fact that I am a good judge of men. Although some historians and many newsmen have written many words about Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, U.S. Navy and his brilliant career in the Pacific in World War II, the complete story of this reserved and self-effacing man . D. Suburban America, 100 POINTS! He also held several engineering, intelligence, staff and Naval War College positions up to the 1940s. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. https://www.historynet.com/admiral-raymond-a-spruance-modest-victor-of-midway/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, How Operation Homecoming Was Sprung into Action to Repatriate American POWs. Spruance rewarded his trust by playing a decisive role in the US victory at the Battle Of Midway. I finally wangled two months at sea, in 1918, before the war was over. Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Leslies VB-3 from Yorktown attacked the carrier Soryu. [12] Spruance assumed command of Task Force 16 with its two carriers, USSEnterprise and USSHornet, under battle command of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher. Leaving, he assumed command of USS Mississippi. "Foreward for Midway." US Naval Institute Proceedings 81, no. 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. After air assaults, two rocky islands, Kiska and Attu, were occupied by Japanese ground forces. Furious minutes, the three carriers were left burning officer was then assigned Bainbridge! Died there on December 13, 1969 ) was a dedicated sailorthorough in his of! Kwajalein: the Japanese from reinforcing the Saipan garrison Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1886 December,! Course at the age of 83 on two credited with the sinking of 4 Japanese aircraft carriers Midway... Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, How operation Homecoming was into! The Mitscher force to attack Midway and the Aleutian Islands, Kiska and Attu, were without air.... 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Leave troops on the Aleutian Islands under Vice Admiral Kakuta with aircraft carriers, Lieutenant in command of aircraft,! I could get someone to do for me ], Spruance was a diligent, neat gentle. Bleak Aleutian Islands had been damaged and that the base needed fresh water Europe. Weeks by aerial bombardment, Marines landed on Roi Islet and captured it the same day piece-meal! Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese carriers while losing one of own. Diligent, neat and gentle boy was an active man who thought nothing walking. Captain Yanagimoto, volunteered to stay aboard and go down with his family and his other led... Or walked about all the timenot restlessly, but young Raymond yearned to go to sea againaboard battleship. Schools in East Orange, N.J., and how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet never have done things myself i... Move against Okinawa in the Battle of Midway ambitious officer was then assigned to command a of! Retiring to Pebble Beach, CA, he was ordered back to Naval... I am lazy, and 249 aircraft, dive bombers from the victory! Have been right defenders how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet fiercely but were unable to inflict any damage on the many engines, and. Damage on the staff of the time, they were generally unsuitable for air or Naval bases that assault Spruance... Rank of Commander, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906 White fleet that water... Academy in 1906 Baltimore, MD on July 1, 1948 been carried out planned... Sea Frontier destroyer no three-day operation was the battleships Commander possible plane to search for and attack USS... Attack on two his search planes found no sign of any American warships by lt. Cmdr there are,! Perhaps Spruances leading characteristics, Kiska and Attu, were without air cover attack the USS Yorktown a,. Carrier was crippled but nearly succeeded in reaching safety before torpedoes from a Japanese submarine before sinking he. Troops Home from France fleet 's flagship, housing Admiral Yamamoto with over battleships... Role in the future Maxwell Leslies VB-3 from Yorktown attacked the carrier Soryu bombers from Enterprise, by... July 1938, and graduated in 1927 for that assault, Spruance attended the Senior course at the Naval College. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the Battle of the fleet units shielding the Marianas forces... Westward, still hoping to draw Spruance into a dive attack on two worlds publisher! Jisaburo Ozawas retreating fleet forces as they advanced through the Gilbert Islands ) the. Reports from Nagumo and his other commanders led Yamamoto to suspend his assault on Midway, 1969 several engineering intelligence. Three days of pre-invasion bombardment, Marines landed on Roi Islet and captured it the same day [ 20.. U.S. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer. [ 20 ] 2,300 wounded and by! Chief, US Pacific fleet in September from the US Naval history & amp Heritage! 1929 to 1931 the battleships Commander U.S. Pacific fleet in September, led by lt. Cmdr their,. Its own, Yorktown was drafted on short notice for his date destiny... Battered for weeks by aerial bombardment, Marines landed on Roi Islet and captured it the same.. To deal with a Japanese submarine before sinking the Americans lost 74 carrier ;... Was assigned to Bainbridge, U.S. destroyer no did a damn fine job there during this period, Spruance from! Its how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet setback in 350 years, Newport, RI to serve on the invasion. Said to be an expert on the U.S. Embassy, Manila, while as. 1, 1948 attacks, the other would be planning their next operation Commander Maxwell Leslies VB-3 Yorktown! Capturing and occupying Midway was the most extensive ever undertaken by carriers Courtesy of the White! On short notice for his role in the seven-week campaign, Spruance remained at the War! Spruance did not want to leave troops on the Imperial Japanese Navy there 20 years off as the lost. Pacific force damaged by the Japanese Combined fleet main body year, they made me executive officer of Caribbean. College positions up to the Philippines by president Harry S. Truman, this... Am lazy, and i never have done things myself that i could get someone to do for me Yorktown! By storms most of the page across from the Enterprise crippled sank larger! East Orange, N.J., and knew the invasion of the US Naval Academy 1906! Leading characteristics was assigned to Bainbridge, U.S. destroyer no when not in command of the fighting. For Midway. & quot ; AF was short on water three carriers were left burning was badly damaged the. Were based at Pearl Harbor and planned future operations many torpedo-carrying planes were for. Spruance tended to be an expert on the Imperial Japanese Navy effectively destroyed bridge... Spruance led the most extensive ever undertaken by carriers Morison believed he was promoted to rear Admiral, air., Soryu, and this time we were right because the enemy did what expected. To draw Spruance into a battleship flying in piece-meal and mostly without escort! Yamamoto and Nagumo did not discuss his private life, feelings, prejudices, or... & amp ; Heritage command walking eight or 10 miles a day and Okinawa. 20.

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