The Japanese felt that they had won the encounter. While both Fletcher and Spruance were rear admirals, Fletcher was senior and nominally in overall command. Japanese supporting aircraft carrier in the corresponding Aleutian Islands Invasion. It was hit and shortly after destroyed by American dive bombers. [7], He commanded the Percival during the sea trials off the California coast and during the patrol cruises with the Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet until May 1922, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C., for duty in the Bureau of Engineering under Rear Admiral John K. Robison. transmitted as a message) to Rear Admirals Frank Jack Fletcher and Raymond Spruance on the eve of the battle of Midway To quote a U S Navy website, "Nimitz clearly . 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). Capturing and occupying Midway was the brainchild-plan of commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Above all, Midway was the turning point that heralded the ultimate defeat of Japan. During the third week of May 1942, U.S. naval intelligence units confirmed that the Japanese wouldby early Juneinvade Midway Island. Akagi class Japanese aircraft carrier that was part of the first detachment of the Japanese carrier strike force. He did not discuss his private life, feelings, prejudices, hopes or fears, except with his family and his closest friends. About us| The Japanese carriers were beginning to launch fighters as Torpedo 8 roared down to attack, without fighter cover. After another three-year tour at the Naval War College, Spruance was again ordered to sea aboard Mississippi. 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 is now being told for the first time by one of his close friends and wartime associates. Following the campaign, Spruance turned the fleet over to Halsey and began planning operations to capture Iwo Jima. The son of Alexander and Annie Spruance, Raymond Ames Spruance was born at Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1886. [citation needed]. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison believed he was one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz,, Commander in Chief, Pacific, (right) and, Admiral Raymond Spruance, Commander, Central Pacific Force, (center) Tour Kwajalein Island, Marshalls, February 5,1944, following its capture. He was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. Write down what your favorite food is and why to get 50 points :), Select TWO facts about the relationship between Constantinople and Christianity. Bombs destroyed the bridge of Kaga and set her ablaze from stem to stern. He was then 55. He was drafted on short notice for his date with destiny. The U.S. Navy counterforce sank all four Japanese carriers while losing one of its own, Yorktown. Hickman, Kennedy. Adding to the surprise factor was the fact that Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo did not believe the U.S. Pacific Fleet was at sea. 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. When Midway began on June 4, 1942 the first few waves of U.S. aircraft were greatly outnumbered by Japanese forces. Spruance also held several engineering . Biographies, 20th century collection, Navy Department Library. 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. This was followed by an assault on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands on January 31, 1944. His next assignment was command of the destroyer Aaron Ward, and then USS Perceval. erful leader. Admiral Yamaguchi and the Hiryu's captain decide to stay aboard the ship. Admiral Spruance could have been right. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. Raymond Spruance was born in Baltimore on July 3, 1886, the son of Alexander and Annie Spruance. The Americans lost only 17 planes and no ships. Raymond Ames Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 3, 1886, to Alexander and Annie Spruance, but grew up in Indianapolis. Hiryu class Japanese aircraft carrier that was part of the second detachment of the Japanese carrier strike force. Carrier units of his force penetrated waters of the Japanese homeland and Nansei Shoto. 2015. Spruance rewarded his trust by playing a decisive role in the US victory at the Battle Of Midway. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Thus the Americans knew the Japanese planned to move toward Midway. I finally wangled two months at sea, in 1918, before the war was over. For his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Spruance was awarded the Navy Cross. A. Desegregation of Society The Navy honored Spruance by giving his name to a new class of 30 destroyers, the first of which, USS Spruance, was launched in 1973. 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. He was the united states navy fleet admiral in the some of the The battle of Midway was one of the most decisive battle in th Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, Japanese fleet commander, chose to i Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters, Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers and Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers thundered off the flight decks and rose to search for the enemy carriers. The setback in the Japanese timetable to encircle the Pacific gave the U.S. industrial machine time to crank up war production, and ultimately, to turn the advantage on Japan in the production of ships, planes, guns, and all the other matriel of war. He held that post until the following February, when he was ordered back to the Naval War College at Newportthis time as president. Admiral Nimitz praised Spruance for a remarkable job. 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. Despite this, some detractors argued that Spruances tactics at Philippine Sea were overly cautious. [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. From there, he went on to graduate from the U.S. Spruance's achievements were acknowledged by the unique distinction of a special act of Congress awarding him Admiral's full pay for life. [30] He is shown to be at loggerheads with his staff on numerous occasions and corrected by them once. 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. He was decorated with Order of Leopold and Croix de guerre with Palm by the Government of Belgium for his service for the Allied cause.[26]. 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[24]. This was said to be the first time that a four-star admiral took part in a sea action aboard one of the ships engaged. They find and score 3 hits on the USS Yorktown, but also sustain heavy losses. How can these and the knowledge they provide be used to spread His Word? Though this gamble paid off, Enterprise air squadrons would pay a heavy price, flying in piece-meal and mostly without fighter escort. On November 24, Spruance relieved Nimitz as Commander, US Pacific Fleet. The carriers were on station on June 2, and the following day Japanese transport ships were spotted 600 miles west of Midway Island. He died on 13 December 1969 at the age of 83. It was a cool, clear 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. [Admiral Spruance wrote this foreward for Mitsuo Fuchida's book, Midway, The Battle That Doomed Japan; The Japanese Navy's . 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. He graduated from Shortridge High School and went on to the U.S. (. 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]. With the island's fall, Spruance immediately moved forward with Operation Iceberg. Japanese supporting aircraft carrier in Aleutian islands campaign. The two admirals presented a contrast in styles as Spruance tended to be quiet and meticulous while Halsey was brash and more impetuous. At 10.26am on 4 June 1942 the course of World War Two in the Pacific changed utterly. "Admiral Raymond Spruance". Hickman, Kennedy. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. Aboard the Japanese flattops, many torpedo-carrying planes were waiting for fighters to take off as the American planes dived. Naval Academy in 1906 and received further education in electrical engineering a few years later. Besides his family, he loved the companionship of his pet schnauzer, Peter. Its commanding officers Admiral Yamaguchi and the ship's captain both stayed aboard their ship. Spruance did not want to leave troops on the Marianas islands unguarded as he chased Jisaburo Ozawas retreating fleet. Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 3, 1886, to Alexander and Annie Hiss Spruance. Akagi and Kaga subsequently went down. At Midway, Spruances force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. Pratt, F. "Spruance: Picture of the Admiral," Harpers Magazine 193, no. [3] After the war, Spruance was appointed President of the Naval War College, and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines. 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. [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. When Yorktown was struck at Midway, however, Fletcher transferred his flag to the cruiser Astoria and placed Spruance tactically in charge. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Akagi class Japanese aircraft carrier that served as the flagship of Admiral Nagumo. Admiral Raymond Spruance on the balcony of the U.S. Embassy, Manila, while serving as U.S. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. His division was an element of the task force built around the aircraft carrier USSEnterprise and commanded by Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. Lieutenant aboard the Hiryu who led and was killed during the first Japanese counterattack after the sinking of 3 Japanese aircraft carriers. Spruances fleet had prevented the Japanese from reinforcing the Saipan garrison. That is how the US navy could inflict great damage to the Japanese fleet and aircraft. . The U.S. Navy's decisive victory in the air-sea battle (June 3-6, 1942) and its successful defense of the major base located at Midway Island dashed Japan's hopes of neutralizing the United. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, is named Spruance Hall. In January 1945, Spruance resumed command of the fleet and began moving against Iwo Jima. They met practically no opposition because most of the Zeros were still close to the water, not having had time to climb and counterattack. Following the war, Spruance served as US Ambassador to the Philippines from 1952 to 1955. He is responsible for the Japanese battle plan to attack Midway and the Aleutian Islands. 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. Arriving back in the United States, he underwent additional training in electrical engineering at General Electric before being posted to USS Connecticut (BB-18) in May 1910. 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. His flagship was badly damaged by the Japanese and was hit by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine before sinking. When not in command of the fleet the admirals, and their staffs, were based at Pearl Harbor and planned future operations. Michio Kobayashi The USS Enterprise ambushes and sinks the Hiryu. Spruance's rise to fame . Richmond Kelly Turner and Harry W. Hill and Marine Generals Holland M. Smith and Julian C. Smith. He advanced quickly through the ranks, becoming an admiral in 1944. Spruance was a dedicated sailorthorough in his absorption of all aspects of training and techniques. This was followed by a promotion to Deputy Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet in September. [25], Spruance was President of the Naval War College from February 1946 until he retired from the Navy in July 1948. After Rome fell, the bishop of Constantinople became the most pow However, an invasion was rendered unnecessary when the atomic bomb was used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. 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. His father wanted him to go to West Point, but young Raymond yearned to go to sea. United States bombers sank three Japanese ships. He was fond of symphonic music, and his tastes were generally simple. Only 17 of the islands 4,690 Japanese defenders survived to become prisoners. 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). It was interesting work, but I wouldnt want to do it for a living. In the opening weeks of the conflict, Spruance's cruisers served under Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey and took part in raids against the Gilbert and Marshall Islands before striking Wake Island. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II.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.He also commanded Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway, comprising the carriers Enterprise and Hornet. Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoes and torpedoes a damaged US aircraft carrier and its escorting destroyer. My personal congratulations. In this position, he traveled to London and Edinburgh. . No detail was too small to bring these American prisoners home. World War II: Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, World War II: Battle of the Philippine Sea. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D. Japanese aircraft carrier squadron under the command of Chuichi Nagumo in command of aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/admiral-raymond-spruance-2360511. United States Admiral in command of naval units on the Pacific Theatre in 1942. The airstrips in the Gilberts were put to good use two months later when they were used in the invasion of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. With the battleship's completion, Spruance joined its crew and remained aboard until November 1917. For that assault, Spruance led the most powerful naval strike force in history. For exceptionally meritorious service 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., (Citation on Rear Admiral Spruances Navy Distinguished Service Medal, awarded for his conduct at the Battle of Midway). The US intelligence services could predict the way the Japanese carriers and planes would be approaching the battle. 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. World War II: Fleet Admiral William Halsey Jr. World War II Pacific: The Japanese Advance Stopped, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University. 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