Halsey, William Frederick, 1882-1959

<p>William Frederick Halsey was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on 30 October 1882, son of the late Captain William F. Halsey, US Navy, and Mrs. (Anne Masters Brewster) Halsey. He attended kindergarten in Coronado, California, public schools in Vallejo, California, Pingry School, St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland, the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Annapolis, Maryland. Appointed to the US Naval Academy by President William McKinley in 1900, he was a member of the "Lucky Bag" staff, won his letter in football, playing fullback on the team, was president of the Athletic Association, and as First Classman had his name engraved on the Thompson Trophy Cup as the Midshipman who had done most during the year for the promotion of athletics.</p>

<p>Graduated in February 1904, he served the two years at sea then required by law before he was commissioned Ensign, 2 February 1906. He was promoted to Lieutenant, both grades, 2 February 1909, to Lieutenant Commander, August 29, 1916, received temporary promotion to Commander during the World War, was commissioned in that rank 3 June 1921, and his subsequent promotions were as follows: Captain, 10 February 1927 Rear Admiral, 1 March 1938; Vice Admiral, 13 June 1940; and Admiral, 18 November 1942. On 28 November 1945, he was nominated to be a Fleet Admiral of the US Navy, his nomination confirmed by the Senate on 14 December 1945, and on 11 December 1945 he took the oath as Fleet Admiral, becoming the fourth officer to hold that rank. He was transferred to the Retired List of the Navy, at his own request, on 1 March 1947.</p>

<p>After graduation in February 1904, he joined the USS Missouri, and in December 1905 was transferred to the USS Don Juan de Austria. He served as her watch and division officer until that vessel was placed out of commission in March 1907. He joined the USS Kansas at her commissioning 11 April 1907, and made the World Cruise of the Fleet in that battleship. In April 1909 he had instruction in torpedoes with the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla, Charleston, South Carolina, and commanded the USS Dupont from May to November 1909. After assisting in fitting out the USS Lamson, he served on board from her commissioning, 10 February, until April 1910, then was transferred to the USS Franklin, Receiving Ship at Norfolk, Virginia.</p>

<p>In August 1912 he assumed command of the USS Flusser, and in February 1913 was assigned additional command of the First Group, Torpedo Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet. In September 1913 he was transferred to command of the USS Jarvis, and in July 1915, returned to the Naval Academy, where he had duty in the Executive Department until December 1917. Ordered to duty with the Destroyer Force based on Queenstown, Ireland, during the first World War, he had temporary duty in the USS Duncan before assuming command of the USS Benham in February 1918. In May he was transferred to command of the USS Shaw, and for service in command of both destroyers, he was awarded the Navy Cross with the following citation:</p>

<p>Navy Cross: "For distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the USS Benham and the USS Shaw, engaged in the important, exacting, and hazardous duty of patrolling the waters infested with enemy submarines and mines, in escorting and protecting vitally important convoy of troops and supplies through these waters, and in offensive and defensive action, vigorously and unremittingly prosecuted against all forms of enemy naval activity."</p>
<p>Relieved of command of the Shaw in August 1918, he returned to the United States to fit out the USS Yarnell, and commanded her from her commissioning, November 29, 1918, until January l920. He was then transferred to command of the USS Chauncey, with additional duty as Commander-Destroyer Division THIRTY-TWO. In July 1920 he assumed command of the USS John Francis Burnes, continuing in command of Destroyer Division THIRTY-TWO, and in October of that year assumed command of the USS Wickes, and of Destroyer Division FIFTEEN. Relieved in September 1921, he had duty in the Office of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department, Washington, DC, the following year. In October 1922, he reported as Naval Attaché at the American Embassy, Berlin, Germany, and in June 1923 was assigned additional duty as Naval Attaché at the American Embassies in Christiana, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Stockholm, Sweden.</p>

<p>In July l924 he assumed command of the USS Dale, operating with the US Naval Forces in European Waters, and in June 1925 was transferred to command of the USS Osborne at Gibraltar. After his return to the United States in November 1925, he served as Executive Officer of the battleship Wyoming from January 1926 until January 1927, then assumed command of the USS Reina Mercedes, Station Ship at the Naval Academy. In June 1930 he was transferred to duty as Commander Destroyer Squadron THREE, Scouting Force, to serve until June 1932. The two succeeding years he was under instruction first at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, later at the Army War College, Washington, DC. In July 1934 he reported to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, for flight training. He was designated Naval Aviator May 15, 1935, at the age of 52.</p>

<p>He commanded the aircraft carrier Saratoga from July 1935 until June 1937, and the succeeding year had command of the Naval Air Station, Pensacola. On June 28, 1938, with rank of Rear Admiral, he was assigned duty as Commander, Carrier Division TWO, USS Yorktown, flagship, and on 31 May 1939, was transferred to duty as Commander, Carrier Division ONE, Aircraft, Battle Force, USS Saratoga, flagship. On June 13, 1940, with the rank of Vice Admiral, he was designated Commander, Aircraft, Battle Force, with additional duty as Commander, Carrier Division TWO, his flag again in the Yorktown. He was serving in that command, with his flag in the USS Enterprise, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941.</p>
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<p>The Enterprise was returning to Pearl Harbor from delivering planes at Wake Island when the news of the attack was received and planes were launched in a fruitless search for the fleeing enemy. Early in February l942, in the first offensive war in the Central Pacific, his force, consisting of the Enterprise, the carrier Yorktown, four heavy cruisers, one light cruiser and ten destroyers, made a foray into the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, bombing and bombarding Wotje, Maleolap, Kwajalein, Roe, Jaluit, Makin, Taroa and Gugewe. Later that month, with the Enterprise, two cruisers and seven destroyers, he shelled and bombed Wake Island, which had been in enemy hands since 22 December 1941, and proceeded on to bomb Marcus Island.</p>

<p>For distinguished service in the Gilbert and Marshall raids, Admiral Halsey was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the citation states: "For distinguished service in a duty of great responsibility as Commander of the Marshall Raiding Force, United States Pacific Fleet, and especially for his brilliant and audacious attack against the Marshall and Gilbert Islands on January 31, 1942. By his great skill and determination, this drive inflicted heavy damage to enemy ships and planes."</p>

<p>He also received the Ribbon for the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the USS Enterprise, the first carrier to be so honored. The citation follows:</p>

<p>Presidential Unit Citation - USS Enterprise: "For consistently outstanding performance and distinguished achievements during repeated action against enemy Japanese forces in the Pacific war area, December 7, 1941, to November 15, 1942. Participating in nearly every major carrier engagement in the first year of the war, the Enterprise and her Air Group, exclusive of her far-flung destruction of hostile shore installations throughout the battle area, did sink or damage, on her own a total of 35 Japanese vessels and shoot down a total of 185 Japanese aircraft. Her aggressive spirit and superb combat efficiency are fitting tribute to the officers and men who so gallantly established her as an ahead bulwark in defense of the American Nation."</p>

<p>William Frederick Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He is one of four individuals to have attained the rank of fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the others being Ernest King, William Leahy, and Chester W. Nimitz.</p>

<p>Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Halsey graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1904. He served in the Great White Fleet and, during World War I, commanded the destroyer USS Shaw. He took command of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga in 1935 after completing a course in naval aviation, and was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 1938. At the start of the War in the Pacific (1941–1945), Halsey commanded the task force centered on the carrier USS Enterprise in a series of raids against Japanese-held targets.</p>

<p>Halsey was made commander of the South Pacific Area, and led the Allied forces over the course of the Battle for Guadalcanal (1942–1943) and the fighting up the Solomon chain (1942–1945). In 1943 he was made commander of the Third Fleet, the post he held through the rest of the war. He took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle of the Second World War and, by some criteria, the largest naval battle in history. He was promoted to fleet admiral in December 1945 and retired from active service in March 1947.</p>