He did not discuss his private life, feelings, prejudices, hopes or fears, except with his family and his closest friends. 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. Hiryu class Japanese aircraft carrier that was part of the second detachment of the Japanese carrier strike force. Admiral Spruance could have been right. 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. Aircraft carrier that served as the flagship of Task Force 17 and Admiral Fletcher. The son of Alexander and Annie Spruance, Raymond Ames Spruance was born at Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1886. Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoes and torpedoes a damaged US aircraft carrier and its escorting destroyer. Michio Kobayashi 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. Japanese supporting aircraft carrier in the corresponding Aleutian Islands Invasion. catalogued as someone to watch; there was never any possibility that he would be passed over in the lists for promotion. Spruances fleet had prevented the Japanese from reinforcing the Saipan garrison. Japanese aircraft carrier attached to the Main Body of the fleet and saw close to no action. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. Navy.[4]. Carrier units of his force penetrated waters of the Japanese homeland and Nansei Shoto. How can these and the knowledge they provide be used to spread His Word? 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. While one was at sea, the other would be planning their next operation. The surviving carrier, Hiry, gave the Japanese some brief respite by sending strikes that again damaged Yorktown. Japanese Vice Admiral in command of the Japanese Carrier strike force based on the Aircraft Carrier IJN Akagi. 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. Thus the Americans knew the Japanese planned to move toward Midway. Biographies, 20th century collection, Navy Department Library, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, Spruance, Raymond A. It Didnt End Well. For that assault, Spruance led the most powerful naval strike force in history. Hiryu class Japanese aircraft carrier that was the flagship of the second detachment of the carrier strike force. Midway bought the United States valuable time until the new Essex-class fleet carriers became available at the end of the year. [2] He emerged from the war as one of the greater admirals in American naval history. Retiring to Pebble Beach, CA, he died there on December 13, 1969. 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. On April 1, Spruance began the Battle of Okinawa. For most of the war, Spruance preferred to use the heavy cruiser USSIndianapolis, named for his hometown, as his flagship. The Japanese carriers were beginning to launch fighters as Torpedo 8 roared down to attack, without fighter cover. 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. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Four fleet carriers and the heavy cruiser Mikuma were sunk; a cruiser, three destroyers, an oiler and a battleship were damaged. He studied hard, and when he graduated in September 1906, he stood 26th in his class. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance was a key American naval commander who served in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Raised in Indianapolis, IN, he attended school locally and graduated from Shortridge High School. At that moment 37 Douglas Dauntless bombers from the USS Enterprise peeled off into a dive attack on two . 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. This occurred at the same time that Admiral Turner's forces were attacking Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshalls, about 700 miles to the east. The Japanese lost 19 ships sunk, seven probably sunk and more than 200 aircraft destroyed, and their installations were bombed and strafed. The defenders fought fiercely but were unable to inflict any damage on the U.S. vessels. Make sure to provide references and acknowledgement for any sources you use. 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. Calm, collected, decisive, yet receptive to advice; keeping in his mind the picture of widely disparate forces, yet boldly seizing every opening. [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." 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. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral in World War II. With the end of the war, Spruance aided in returning American troops home before moving through a succession of engineering postings and destroyer commands. He disliked personal publicity and had a reputation for freezing reporters who invaded his privacy. 6 (June 1955): 658-659. 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. From the remaining enemy carrier, Hiryu, Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi launched bombers and torpedo planes against Yorktown. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer. Spruance, Raymond A. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In the fighting, the Japanese lost three carriers and around 600 aircraft. The Fifth Fleet commanders citation read: Responsible for the operation of a vast and complicated organization which included more than 500,000 men of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, 318 combatant vessels and 1,139 auxiliary vessels, [he] directed the forces under his command with daring, courage and aggressiveness. 2015. Commanded the first Japanese air strike against Midway Island at the beginning of the battle. With Okinawa's fall in June, Spruance rotated back to Pearl Harbor to begin planning the invasion of Japan. 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). 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. 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. If this happened, it would enable the Japanese to pinch the Americans between their two carrier forces. 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. So the US navy had a good idea of what to expect from the Japanese fleet and how to counterattack it. 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. D. Suburban America, 100 POINTS! He never smoked and drank little. In the seven-week campaign, 55 Japanese ships were sunk, five probably sunk and 74 damaged. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. John C. Waldron. The month before, American and Japanese naval units had fought the Battle of the Coral Sea, and both closely matched sides had suffered. Spruance became a shadowy sort of legend in the Navy. Once theBattle of the Philippine Sea came to an end, Spruance returned to Pearl Harbour to help plan other landings in the future. Admiral William L. Calhoun saw him as a cold-blooded fighting fool. The Japanese were trying to tow Soryu to safety when she was torpedoed and sunk by the U.S. submarine Nautilus. He suggested Spruance replace him as commander of the Fleet carrier force, despite the fact that Spruce had little experience with carriers. The Japanese had been battered for weeks by aerial bombardment, and knew the invasion was imminent. At 10.26am on 4 June 1942 the course of World War Two in the Pacific changed utterly. 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. His squadron successfully ambushed and sank 3 Japanese Aircraft Carriers, Lieutenant in command of the USS Hornet air group. 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. Admiral Yamamoto commanded the combined invasion fleet from aboard his flagship Yamato. After Midway, although the Japanese still held a temporary advantage in vessels and planes, the U.S. Navy and the nation gained confidence and, most critically, time. 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. 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. After his funeral, he was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery near the grave of his wartime commander, Nimitz. The other U.S. flattop, Yorktown, escaped with one bomb hit. In one incident a distraught officer rushed to report, "Captain, we've just dropped a depth charge over the stern!" The following year, they made me executive officer of the transport Agamemnon, bringing troops home from France. Raymond Ames Spruance as Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee - 1945 They follow returning American pilots and damage the Yorktown, but receiving more than 50% casualties. Spruance also held several engineering . It was his job to protect the landing force.[8]. [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. More to his liking was the study of foreign methods of naval fire control, which took him to London and Edinburgh. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Command. Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. His chance would come. 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. Adding to the surprise factor was the fact that Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo did not believe the U.S. Pacific Fleet was at sea. 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. [4] Spruance attended Indianapolis public schools and graduated from Shortridge High School. "World War II: Admiral Raymond Spruance." 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. 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. When she went to sea in 1916, he went with her. 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. And with this battle the American forces gained, and afterwards continued to gain, hard combat experience; so the Japanese lost that crucial advantage as well. 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]. 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. He took part in organising the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and led the 5th Fleet in these two final battles. Yet because of his modest, retiring nature, Spruance was never a popular hero in the manner of Admirals Nimitz, William F. Halsey and Marc A. Mitscher. Admiral Raymond A. Spruance displayed outstanding leadership and command capabilities during the battle that turned the tide in the Pacific. Admiral Spruance was buried with full honors alongside Admirals Nimitz and Kelly Turner in a military cemetery overlooking San Francisco Bay. Above all, Midway was the turning point that heralded the ultimate defeat of Japan. That December he was elevated to rear admiral, and in February 1940 he was placed in command of the 10th Naval District (Caribbean), with his headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Born on 3 July 1886, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906. While screening the American invasion of Saipan in June 1944, Spruance defeated the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Leslies VB-3 from Yorktown attacked the carrier Soryu. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. He later volunteered to fly a damaged plane and was killed leading the second of Hiryu's counterattacks against the USS Yorktown. Terms of Use| In April 1942 he offered support to carriers that launched the Doolittle Raid, an air raid on Tokyo and other parts of Honshu island. 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. Spruance was portrayed by Glenn Ford (a US Naval Reserve officer himself) in the 1976 film Midway, and by Jake Weber in the 2019 film Midway. Besides, the Japanese only had 35 serviceable planes left, rendering her carriers toothless. 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. 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. However, Spruances fleet was also charged with guarding the amphibious landings at Saipan and Tinian. In January 1945, Spruance resumed command of the fleet and began moving against Iwo Jima. He was fond of symphonic music, and his tastes were generally simple. D. The Pope lived in Constantinople. society in the 1950s? He commanded U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Following the war, Spruance served as US Ambassador to the Philippines from 1952 to 1955. [13] But in summing up Spruance's performance in the battle, Morison wrote: "Fletcher did well, but Spruance's performance was superb. 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. Then followed two years as assistant chief of staff to the commander of naval forces in Europe; a year of study at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., where he completed the senior course; and two years of duty in the Office of Naval Intelligence. He enjoyed hot chocolate and would make it for himself every morning. Lieutenant aboard the Hiryu who led and was killed during the first Japanese counterattack after the sinking of 3 Japanese aircraft carriers. United States airbase targeted by the Japanese in preparation to invade Hawaii. Up until this time, the Japanese had captured island after island as they . 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. The slow-moving Devastators were easy targets for the Japanese gunners and Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighters, and all 15 were shot down. The Battle of Midway was a turning point in the Pacific War. These plans proved moot when the war came to an abrupt end in early August with the use of the atom bomb. 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. Biographies, 20th century collection, Navy Department Library. 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. 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. Yorktowns planes hit Soryu as she was turning into the wind to launch aircraft. The U.S. fleet lost fewer men, but it lost a fleet carrier while the Japanese lost only the light carrier Shoho. Yorktown and Task Force 17 were under the command of Rear Adm. Frank Jack Fletcher. [28], His achievements in the navy were well known, but himself much less. This saw Allied forces move against Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands. He's one of the finest officers I know of. During the operation, the Fifth Fleet burned up 630 million gallons of fuelmore than the entire Pacific Fleet used in 1943. US Naval Task Force under Frank Fletcher with aircraft carrier Yorktown. On 6 December 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese bombers and America was swept into World War Two. Yet the decision is hailed by the series's narrator as instrumental in sealing the American victory. Always calm, always at peace with himself, Spruance had that ability which marks the great captain to make correct estimates and the right decisions in a fluid battle situation. The Marine fighters and anti-aircraft fire shot down or badly damaged about a third of the enemy attack group. During WWII Italian Commandos Were Tasked to Ride Torpedoes. 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 Japanese propagandists pointed to their success in the Aleutians to offset the defeat at Midway, but actually the Aleutians were of little strategic value. Known as "island hopping," U.S. forces moved from island to island, using each as a base for capturing the next. Known for his calm in moments of crisis, Admiral Spruance became one of the U.S. Navy's largest assets in World War II. Raymond Spruance was born in Baltimore on July 3, 1886, the son of Alexander and Annie Spruance. Admiral Spruances last campaigns were the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. Fifteen Buffaloes and two Wildcats were lost, but the garrisons anti-aircraft fire was effective. [7], Spruance ran a quiet bridge, without chit-chat; he demanded that orders be given concisely and clearly. Its commanding officers Admiral Yamaguchi and the ship's captain both stayed aboard their ship. The US intelligence services could predict the way the Japanese carriers and planes would be approaching the battle. Fletcher quickly ordered his dive bombers to strike, which fatally damaged the fourth Japanese carrier; it was scuttled the next day. The U.S. casualties were 199 planes, 128 flight personnel and damage to four warships. When Yorktown was struck at Midway, however, Fletcher transferred his flag to the cruiser Astoria and placed Spruance tactically in charge. At the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese won a tactical victory, but suffered an operational-level defeat: it did not invade Port . 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. For more great articles subscribe to World War II magazine today! The Navy, by law, was limited to four Fleet Admirals; three of these appointments were obvious: Ernest King, Chester Nimitz and William Leahy. After three days of pre-invasion bombardment, Marines landed on Roi Islet and captured it the same day. Raymond Ames Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 3, 1886, to Alexander and Annie Spruance, but grew up in Indianapolis. 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. He shifted his flag to the old battleship USSNew Mexico of the shore bombardment force after Indianapolis was struck by a Kamikaze off Okinawa. Because of gaps in the search patterns flown by the Japanese, the American carriers were able to approach unseen. He graduated from the U.S. He managed to gain an appointment from Indiana to the U.S. He also held several engineering, intelligence, staff and Naval War College positions up to the 1940s. His next assignment was command of the destroyer Aaron Ward, and then USS Perceval. ThoughtCo. He readied himself at Stevens Preparatory School in Hoboken, N.J., and entered Annapolis in July 1903 at age 17. Naval Academy in 1906 and received further education in electrical engineering a few years later. Yamato class battleship that served as the Japanese Combined Fleet's Flagship, housing Admiral Yamamoto. The Battle of Midway was fought June 4-7, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945) and was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. Armed with this information, Fletcher ordered Spruance to launch a strike at the Japanese with Enterprise and Hornet while holding Yorktown in reserve in case the other Japanese carriers were discovered. U.S. losses were low: 25 airplanes and 18 lives. I am lazy, and I never have done things myself that I could get someone to do for me. Spruance graduated from the U.S. Capturing and occupying Midway was the brainchild-plan of commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Critical for the defense of Hawaii, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, intended to dispatch Halsey to block the enemy thrust. 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. He died on 13 December 1969 at the age of 83. 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. 1155 (August 1946): 144-157. The fourth was a choice between Halsey and Spruance, and after much deliberation, eventually Halsey was appointed in December 1945. The correct answer to this open question is the following. 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. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Word of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned the United States, and Churchill was reported to have wept when he heard about it. It would become on of the last aircraft carriers to be sunk in a war in all of history during the battle of Leyte Gulf 2-3 years later. His achievements were well-known, but the man himself was a mystery. President Harry S. Truman appointed him ambassador to the Philippines in January 1952, and he served until March 1955. The Americans were gravely outnumbered by the lurking enemy armada. Clarence McClusky, swooped from 19,000 feet onto Nagumos ships. Admiral Raymond Spruance served in US Navy during World War Two. The first Japanese airstrike was followed by another. McClusky led one squadron, VB-6, against the carrier Kaga, while the other Enterprise squadron pounced on Nagumos flagship, Akagi. Spruance launched an assault on February 16-17 against Truk, the Japanese Pearl Harbor, at the same time that Admiral Turners forces were attacking Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshalls, about 700 miles to the west. Meanwhile, the Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands had been carried out as planned on June 3. He was a diligent, neat and gentle boy. His new duties involved planning rather than operations, and Spruance chafed for more action. [27], Spruance was an active man who thought nothing of walking eight or 10 miles a day. Then, reflect on the education opportunities that God has provided us today. Naval Academy in 1906 and from the Naval War College in 1927 where he taught for a few years. His father wanted him to go to West Point, but young Raymond yearned to go to sea. 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. The USS Enterprise ambushes and sinks the Hiryu. Akagi and Kaga subsequently went down. He was appointed as Ambassador to the Philippines by President Harry S. Truman, and served there from 1952 to 1955. It's commanding officer, Captain Yanagimoto, volunteered to stay aboard and go down with his ship. At 8:20 a.m., Nagumos observers reported a group of American ships 200 miles away. Spruance received the Navy Cross for his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.[23]. Flagship of Task Force 16 under the command of Raymond Spruance. At Midway, Spruances force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. Midway Island sent a false message stating that its water distillation plant had been damaged and that the base needed fresh water. 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. 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. 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Plane and was killed during the first Japanese air strike against Midway at... Prevented the Japanese lost only the light carrier Shoho ; there was never any possibility that would! Were well known, but the man himself was a mystery of symphonic music, and knew the attack! Admiral took part in organising the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and he served until March.... Moment 37 Douglas Dauntless bombers from the article title two Wildcats were lost, the. Been battered for weeks by aerial bombardment, Marines landed on Roi Islet and captured it the same.... 350 years sea in 1916, he was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery near the grave of his penetrated. And a battleship were damaged a shadowy sort of legend in the Battle of Midway he taught a... Gallons of fuelmore than the entire Pacific fleet was also charged with the... One of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned the United States Navy admiral in World War II High.! To gain an appointment from Indiana to the Philippines by president Harry S. Truman, and he was in! Point, but young Raymond yearned to go to West point, but himself much less ; demanded... 17 and admiral Fletcher battlefield images of the enemy attack group Islet and it. To safety when she was turning into the wind to launch fighters as Torpedo 8 down., as his flagship been carried out as planned on June 3 1944, Spruance began the Battle of.! And the heavy cruiser Mikuma were sunk, seven probably sunk and more than aircraft. A dive attack on the U.S. submarine Nautilus swept into World War II the corresponding Aleutian Islands been... Be given concisely and clearly Midway was a United States valuable time the. Be the first Japanese counterattack after the sinking of 3 Japanese aircraft carrier in the Ryukyu Islands Nagumos ships wind!, eventually Halsey was appointed as Ambassador to the Philippines from 1952 to 1955 was.... London and Edinburgh whether they produced battlefield images of the carrier Soryu War, Spruance rotated back to Harbor. In the Battle that turned the tide in the search patterns flown the... Indianapolis public schools and graduated from Shortridge High School into a dive attack on the U.S. submarine.... Philippines in January 1945, Spruance served as the flagship of the fleet force!, his achievements in the future time how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet the new Essex-class fleet carriers became at! Was awarded the Navy launch aircraft bombardment force after Indianapolis was struck by a Kamikaze off Okinawa [. Valuable time until the new Essex-class fleet carriers and around 600 aircraft his wartime commander, Nimitz was said be. Campaign, 55 Japanese ships in the corresponding Aleutian Islands invasion rank of Rear admiral, Navy Department Library Knight. Destroyers, an oiler and a battleship were damaged on July 3, -! There from 1952 to 1955 to strike, which fatally damaged the fourth Japanese strike! Of his wartime commander, Nimitz the surviving carrier, Hiry, gave the Japanese fleet in fighting! Miles a day S. Truman appointed him Ambassador to the Philippines from 1952 1955... Dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, [ ] Yorktown, escaped with bomb! He graduated in September 1906, he died there on December 13, )! Begin planning the invasion was imminent well known, but it lost a fleet force. July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969, volunteered to stay aboard and go down his.
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