During this period, Spruance served aboard USS Minnesota (BB-22) during the cruise of the Great White Fleet. Admiral Raymond Spruance served in US Navy during World War Two. D. Suburban America, 100 POINTS! Admiral Raymond A. Spruance displayed outstanding leadership and command capabilities during the battle that turned the tide in the Pacific. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. He graduated from the U.S. He suggested Spruance replace him as commander of the Fleet carrier force, despite the fact that Spruce had little experience with carriers. It Didnt End Well. The son of Alexander and Annie Spruance, Raymond Ames Spruance was born at Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1886. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. They met practically no opposition because most of the Zeros were still close to the water, not having had time to climb and counterattack. And, off Okinawa, Spruance never faltered in face of the destruction wrought by the kamikazes. 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. The Japanese expected no American ships in the Midway area until after the landing there, and they hoped that the Pacific Fleet would dash northward as soon as it received word of the opening strikes in the Aleutians. [2] He emerged from the war as one of the greater admirals in American naval history. He also held several engineering, intelligence, staff and Naval War College positions up to the 1940s. King said to him "Spruance, you did a damn fine job there. Akagi and Kaga subsequently went down. 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 was then 55. His chance would come. [32] Wouk writes in his book that "Spruance escaped [the Japanese fleet admiral] Yamamoto's terrible trap by acting on perfect military instinct. He lived quietly at Pebble Beach until December 13, 1969, when he died of arteriosclerosis at the age of 83. How can these and the knowledge they provide be used to spread His Word? Close to Japan, Allied planners intended to use Okinawa as a springboard for the eventual invasion of the Home Islands. On 13 May 1945, Admiral Raymond Spruance put pen to paper and described the second kamikaze attack he experienced at Okinawa. If this happened, it would enable the Japanese to pinch the Americans between their two carrier forces. Biographies, 20th century collection, Navy Department Library, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, Spruance, Raymond A. The combined American force consisted of three carriers, eight cruisers, 15 destroyers, 12 submarines and 353 aircraft, ranged against a grand total of 200 Japanese vessels and 700 planes. After further schooling at the Stevens Preparatory School in New Jersey, Spruance applied to and was accepted by the US Naval Academy in 1903. Admiral William L. Calhoun saw him as a cold-blooded fighting fool. Admiral Yamaguchi and the Hiryu's captain decide to stay aboard the ship. He served as an instructor at the Naval War College from 1935 to 1938. They find and score 3 hits on the USS Yorktown, but also sustain heavy losses. During the joint operations leading to the assault and capture of the important enemy bases, complete integration of Army and Navy units was accomplished under his outstanding leadership, enabling all the forces to perform their closely co-ordinated missions with outstanding success.[24]. In one incident a distraught officer rushed to report, "Captain, we've just dropped a depth charge over the stern!" British Royal Navy units helped support the landings. The American losses were Yorktown, destroyer Hammann and 147 planes. Then Nagumos force was spotted by torpedo bombers from Hornets squadron VT-8, led by Lt. Cmdr. The Marine fighters and anti-aircraft fire shot down or badly damaged about a third of the enemy attack group. Two minutes later, 37 dive bombers from Enterprise, led by Lt. Cmdr. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Leslies VB-3 from Yorktown attacked the carrier Soryu. In June 1942 the United States and Japan fought for control of Midway Island in the South Pacific. Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance was a key American naval commander who served in the Pacific Theater of World War II.A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Spruance commanded cruisers during the early months of the conflict and first came to prominence for helping lead American forces to victory at the pivotal Battle of Midway in June 1942. 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 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. Japanese fleet under the direct command of Admiral Yamamoto with over 5 battleships and escort carrier Hosho. I was shanghaied ashore in November of the next year to take over as electrical superintendent at the New York Navy Yard, said Spruance. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/admiral-raymond-spruance-2360511. He took part in organising the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and led the 5th Fleet in these two final battles. The U.S. fleet lost fewer men, but it lost a fleet carrier while the Japanese lost only the light carrier Shoho. It was bombed by dive bombers from the Enterprise and as scuttled shortly after Nagumo was forced by his staff to evacuate. Before the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7-8 May 1942, the Imperial Navy of Japan had swept aside all of its enemies from the Pacific and Indian oceans. 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. The month before, American and Japanese naval units had fought the Battle of the Coral Sea, and both closely matched sides had suffered. 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. By shortly after 9 a.m., planes from Yorktown were also on their way. In May 1942, intelligence suggested that the Japanese were planning on assaulting Midway Island. 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. the prospects for its inclusion in doctrine The logical starting point is Admiral Chester Nimitz's famous "letter of instruction" (actually, of course, transmitted . In 1916 he aided in the fitting out of the battleship Pennsylvania and he served on board her from her commissioning in June 1916 until November 1917. >The fleet units shielding the Marianas invasion forces were also under Spruances command. 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. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. The assault began at dawn on November 20, 1943, and the fighting raged for 76 hours. The following year, the new admiral was ordered to the Pacific. The US navy ended up winning the battle and historians consider this a major turning point in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Japanese aircraft carrier attached to the Main Body of the fleet and saw close to no action. Commanded the first Japanese air strike against Midway Island at the beginning of the battle. Leaving, he assumed command of USS Mississippi. One commentator said: The quick success of the offensive was attributed to the strategic daring by which Vice Admiral Spruances forces cut behind the eastern chain of the Marshalls. 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. The Japanese were trying to tow Soryu to safety when she was torpedoed and sunk by the U.S. submarine Nautilus. His seagoing career was extensive, including command of five destroyers and the battleship Mississippi. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. The Japanese had been overconfident, and the Americans taught them a bitter lesson. The Eastern Orthodox Church developed from the church in Constantinople. The Navy, by law, was limited to four Fleet Admirals; three of these appointments were obvious: Ernest King, Chester Nimitz and William Leahy. Born on 3 July 1886, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906. ThoughtCo, Jul. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. Lieutenant in command of the USS Yorktown air group. 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 following year, they made me executive officer of the transport Agamemnon, bringing troops home from France. In this state the Japanese carriers would be extremely vulnerable. 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. Spruance began World War II as a gunship admiral, commanding a division of . Spruance became Commander of the 5th Fleet in November 1943, which presented him with command of the Central Pacific Forces. He was then ordered to the China station, with sea duty aboard the battleship Connecticut and the cruiser Cincinnati. Naval Academy in 1906,[5] and received further, hands-on education in electrical engineering a few years later. 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. [citation needed]. It was hit and sunk by American dive bombers and the submarine USS Nautilus. Fit into his 70s, Spruance spent most of his retirement days wearing old khakis and work shoes and working in his garden and greenhouse; he loved to show them to visitors. Pratt, F. "Spruance: Picture of the Admiral," Harpers Magazine 193, no. Two years later, he aided in the fitting out of USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) then under construction in the yard. How did Paul's education United States Rear Admiral in command of Task Force 17 on the USS Yorktown. US Naval Task Force under Frank Fletcher with aircraft carrier Yorktown. Spruance graduated from the U.S. On April 22, Task Force 58s guns and planes supported the U.S. invasion of Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea and Aitape in Australian New Guinea. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. Spruance, Raymond A. Naval Academy in 1906 and from the Naval War College in 1927 where he taught for a few years. In the seven-week campaign, 55 Japanese ships were sunk, five probably sunk and 74 damaged. Three bombs hammered her. 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. During WWII Italian Commandos Were Tasked to Ride Torpedoes. He commanded that vessel during the patrols with the Atlantic Fleet until January 1920, when he assumed command of newly commissioned destroyer USS Percival in San Francisco, California. Spruance's seagoing career included command of the destroyers Bainbridge from March 1913 to May 1914, Osborne, three other destroyers, and the battleship Mississippi. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral in World War II. 1155 (August 1946): 144-157. Advertisement Still have questions? The US intelligence services could predict the way the Japanese carriers and planes would be approaching the battle. "Foreward for Midway." US Naval Institute Proceedings 81, no. Spruance's first duty assignment was aboard the battleship USSIowa, an 11,400 ton veteran of the SpanishAmerican War. His air group is credited with the sinking of 4 Japanese aircraft carriers during Midway. That same year he received a new assignment: assistant machinery inspector at the Newport News, Va., dry dock, where the battleship Pennsylvania was being outfitted. The American offensive in the Pacific theater was now enjoying considerable momentum, aided in no small measure by Rear Adm. Marc Mitschers Task Force 58, the most powerful and destructive unit in the history of sea warfare. However, Spruances fleet was also charged with guarding the amphibious landings at Saipan and Tinian. Admiral Halsey was given command of the Third Fleet, and later that year Task Force 58 was transferred to Halseys fleet. He was drafted on short notice for his date with destiny. He was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. Spruance's rise to fame . 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. Born on 3 July 1886, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906. Admiral Spruance died on 13 December 1969, at his home in Pebble Beach , California. [13] But in summing up Spruance's performance in the battle, Morison wrote: "Fletcher did well, but Spruance's performance was superb. Japanese naval force tasked with the invasion of the Aleutian Islands under Vice Admiral Kakuta with aircraft carriers Junyo and Ryuho. 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. With their 233 planes and crews at the ready, the three U.S. flattops were stationed well north of Midway, out of sight of enemy reconnaissance planes. After the enemys raids on Midway, Admiral Spruance ordered the launching of every possible plane to search for and attack the Japanese carriers. >On March 29, 1944, Admiral Spruance took tactical command of a three-pronged assault against the Palau Islands, 550 miles east of the Philippines, and against Yap Island and Ulithi Atoll in the western Carolines. He was the grandfather of legendary theatre director Anne Bogart. 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. On April 28, the last day of the invasion, Spruances command was redesignated as the Fifth Fleet. He never smoked, and drank little. Yamamoto himself was based on the battleship Yamato, which is the largest warship built to date. However, an invasion was rendered unnecessary when the atomic bomb was used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Despite this, some detractors argued that Spruances tactics at Philippine Sea were overly cautious. 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 . Fletcher would command Task Force 17, but the task force flag ship, USSYorktown, had been badly damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the formation's other carrier, Lexington, had been sunk, but at Nimitz's behest Yorktown was patched-repaired in "rush" time purposefully to join the Midway operation.[11]. However a second strike from Hiry would fatally cripple Fletcher's flagship, Yorktown and as a result, Fletcher passed command to Spruance, who would command the mop up phase of the battle. [7], Spruance served in Washington until early 1924, when he was ordered to the headquarters, Commander Naval Force in Europe. The Americans lost 74 carrier planes; the Japanese 80. B. Jim Crow Laws He withdrew his ships westward, still hoping to draw Spruance into a trap. United States Admiral in command of naval units on the Pacific Theatre in 1942. Then he returned to the Naval War College as a staff member. Spruance himself directed a task group of battleships, cruisers and destroyers that left the main body to go after Japanese ships that were fleeing Truk, sinking the light cruiser Katori and destroyer Maikaze. The struggle by the U.S. Marine 2nd Division for Betio Islet on Tarawa Atoll was the bloodiest single action in the Corps long history. The fourth was a choice between Halsey and Spruance, and after much deliberation, eventually Halsey was appointed in December 1945. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. His tour of sea duty ended in 1921, and he spent the next three years with the Navy Departments Bureau of Engineering and the Doctrine of Aircraft board. "[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]. 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. On December 30, 1914, Spruance married Margaret Vance Dean, the daughter of an Indianapolis businessman. 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. While in that capacity he assumed additional duty as a member of the board on doctrine of aircraft in connection with fleet fire control. It was interesting work, but I wouldnt want to do it for a living. He was fond of symphonic music, and his tastes were generally simple. [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. "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. Hickman, Kennedy. In the first months of World War II in the Pacific, Spruance commanded the four heavy cruisers and support ships of Cruiser Division Five from his flagship, the heavy cruiser USSNorthampton. That achievement brought praise from Churchill, who wrote to Navy Secretary James Forrestal, Admiral Spruance is again to be congratulated for another fine job. 2015. 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. In January 1945, Spruance resumed command of the fleet and began moving against Iwo Jima. Raymond Ames Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 3, 1886, to Alexander and Annie Spruance, but grew up in Indianapolis. For that assault, Spruance led the most powerful naval strike force in history. United States airbase targeted by the Japanese in preparation to invade Hawaii. An academic building at the Naval War College was also named for him. All three were eventually scuttled. 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. Word of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned the United States, and Churchill was reported to have wept when he heard about it. Determining that New Mexico was not too badly damaged to remain on station Spruance kept her as his flagship for the rest of the campaign. Summing up his appraisal of this outstanding sailor, Morison noted: Spruance in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, overriding Mitscher the carrier expert in letting the enemy planes come at him instead of going in search of them, won the second most decisive battle of the Pacific war. 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. Four years later, President Harry S. Truman appointed him as Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines. Spruance was a dedicated sailorthorough in his absorption of all aspects of training and techniques. That same month, he directed Operation Hailstone which saw American carrier aircraft repeatedly strike the Japanese base at Truk. During the last year of World War I he was assigned as Assistant Engineer Officer of the New York Naval Shipyard, and carried out temporary duty in London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. Following the war, Spruance served as US Ambassador to the Philippines from 1952 to 1955. 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. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison believed he was one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. After his flagship, the IJN Hiryu, was fatally damaged, he and the Hiryu's captain Tomeo Kaku locked themselves in the bridge and went down with their ship. The Iwo Jima and Okinawa actions lasted from January to May 1945, and in August the Japanese surrendered. His squadron successfully ambushed and sank 3 Japanese Aircraft Carriers, Lieutenant in command of the USS Hornet air group. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. This gave rise to the description of Spruance as "an Admiral's admiral". I can thank heredity for a sound constitution, and myself for taking care of that constitution. For the main Midway assault, the Japanese force consisted of the main battle fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, composed of three battleships, a light carrier and a destroyer screen; Admiral Chuichi Nagumos combined fleet of two battleships, two heavy cruisers, destroyers and four fleet carriers carrying more than 250 aircraft; and an invasion task force led by Admiral Nobutake Kondo, consisting of a dozen transport ships carrying 5,000 troops, closely supported by four heavy cruisers, two battleships and a light carrier; and a three-cordon submarine force intended to neutralize U.S. countermoves. 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 most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. [12] Spruance assumed command of Task Force 16 with its two carriers, USSEnterprise and USSHornet, under battle command of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher. In the course of a two-hour interview, he stood or walked about all the timenot restlessly, but slowly and deliberately. The carriers were on station on June 2, and the following day Japanese transport ships were spotted 600 miles west of Midway Island. The American toll was 1,100 dead and almost 2,300 wounded. In April 1942 he offered support to carriers that launched the Doolittle Raid, an air raid on Tokyo and other parts of Honshu island. His torpedo bombershaving switched to bombs for the attack on Midwaywere away, and most of his protective fighters were out on patrol. Richmond Kelly Turner and Harry W. Hill and Marine Generals Holland M. Smith and Julian C. Smith. Japanese fleet in charge of landing army units on Midway. These plans proved moot when the war came to an abrupt end in early August with the use of the atom bomb. Spruance became a shadowy sort of legend in the Navy. Admiral Spruance explained the U.S. victory at Midway in the following way. 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. The small Marine Corps garrison scrambled its handful of Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat and Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo fighters, but they were too weak and slow to deter the Japanese. Fletcher quickly ordered his dive bombers to strike, which fatally damaged the fourth Japanese carrier; it was scuttled the next day. On June 4, Spruance and Fletcher engaged four Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway. Weeks later . By 1939, at the age of 53, Spruance had spent 18 years at sea. [11] Although Spruance was proven as a cruiser division commander, he had no experience handling carrier-air combat; Halsey reassured Nimitz, and he told Spruance and Fletcher to rely on their newly inherited staff, particularly Captain Miles Browning, a battle-proven expert in carrier warfare. It was the only aircraft carrier in the presence of Midway Island to survive the dive bomber attack and launched two and a half waves of planes against the United States Navy. 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. Meanwhile, Task Force 58 was busy in the forefront of clearing the Japanese from the 600-mile-long Marianas chain. I can thank heredity for a sound constitution, and myself for taking care of that constitution." Yamato class battleship that served as the Japanese Combined Fleet's Flagship, housing Admiral Yamamoto. 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. Raymond Spruance was born in Baltimore on July 3, 1886, the son of Alexander and Annie Spruance. Navy.[4]. Akagi class Japanese aircraft carrier that was part of the first detachment of the Japanese carrier strike force. In April, Nimitz divided command of the Central Pacific Force between Spruance and Halsey. Capturing and occupying Midway was the brainchild-plan of commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Two years later, Spruance again received orders for the Naval War College and taught on the staff until April 1938. [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. 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