Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral in World War II. Admiral Ernest J. 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. Web. 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. By that time, he was said to be an expert on the many engines, instruments and guns that go into a battleship. Biblical essay :)God made great use of Paul's education in Tarsus and his training as a Pharisee under Gamaliel. Then U.S. dive bombers from Spruance's Enterprise flew to Nagumo's fleet of four carriers which, fatefully, were without air cover. 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. His father wanted him to go to West Point, but young Raymond yearned to go to sea. He advanced quickly through the ranks, becoming an admiral in 1944. "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. He withdrew his ships westward, still hoping to draw Spruance into a trap. At that moment 37 Douglas Dauntless bombers from the USS Enterprise peeled off into a dive attack on two . B. Jim Crow Laws As his staff worked, Halsey used the fleet to win the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The defeat effectively destroyed the Japanese Navy's air arm. He shifted his flag to the old battleship USSNew Mexico of the shore bombardment force after Indianapolis was struck by a Kamikaze off Okinawa. 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. He disliked personal publicity and had a reputation for freezing reporters who invaded his privacy. 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. Weeks later . Some people asked why he did not take take advantage of the chaotic scene to attack all of Japans air carriers. They would draw them north to deal with a Japanese invasion in the bleak Aleutian Islands, and then strike at unprotected Midway. This time we were right because the enemy did what we expected him to do. Nimitz had no battleships left after the Pearl Harbor attack, and after the Battle of the Coral Sea there were only two flattops ready for action, Enterprise and Hornet. How did Paul's education [4] Spruance attended Indianapolis public schools and graduated from Shortridge High School. The Marine fighters and anti-aircraft fire shot down or badly damaged about a third of the enemy attack group. Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. [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. The Battle of Midway was a turning point in the Pacific War. From there, he went on to graduate from the U.S. The Japanese planned to outwit the U.S. forces at Midway. The U.S. Navy intercept force centered on the three carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown, and their air-attack squadrons. Spruance served as executive officer of USS Mississippi from October 1929 to June 1931. 6 (June 1955): 658-659. Because of gaps in the search patterns flown by the Japanese, the American carriers were able to approach unseen. In this position, he traveled to London and Edinburgh. Spruance became Commander of the 5th Fleet in November 1943, which presented him with command of the Central Pacific Forces. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison believed he was one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history. In April, Nimitz divided command of the Central Pacific Force between Spruance and Halsey. This was followed by an assault on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands on January 31, 1944. 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. Lieutenant in command of the USS Enterprise air group. 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. In May 1914, Spruance received a posting as Assistant to the Inspector of Machinery at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. 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. Raised in Indianapolis, IN, he attended school locally and graduated from Shortridge High School. Provide at least two examples.Certain lessons in New Testament Survey, as well as outside sources, may be of help to you as you write your report. Word of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned the United States, and Churchill was reported to have wept when he heard about it. Admiral Spruance was buried with full honors alongside Admirals Nimitz and Kelly Turner in a military cemetery overlooking San Francisco Bay. 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. Commanded the first Japanese air strike against Midway Island at the beginning of the battle. That same month, he directed Operation Hailstone which saw American carrier aircraft repeatedly strike the Japanese base at Truk. Admiral Spruances last campaigns were the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. 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). Spruance was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service at Midway. 1, and he commanded her until 1914. Nagumo ordered his planes rearmed on their return. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. While screening the American invasion of Saipan in June 1944, Spruance defeated the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. 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. At the end of the Second World War Congress created a limited number of five-star ranks for the Army and the Navy, designated General of the Army and Fleet Admiral. Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoes and torpedoes a damaged US aircraft carrier and its escorting destroyer. Hickman, Kennedy. Spruance also held several engineering . He commanded the battleship USS Mississippi from April 1938 to December 1939, when he was promoted to rear admiral. He was uniquely modest and candid about himself all his life. Aircraft carrier that served as the flagship of Task Force 17 and Admiral Fletcher. 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. Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance was a key American naval commander who served in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Up until this time, the Japanese had captured island after island as they . 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. However, an invasion was rendered unnecessary when the atomic bomb was used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. 2015. A. 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. His next assignment was command of the destroyer Aaron Ward, and then USS Perceval. So the US navy had a good idea of what to expect from the Japanese fleet and how to counterattack it. For his actions, Spruance received the Distinguished Service Medal and, later that month, Nimitz named him as his Chief of Staff and Aide. Carrier units of his force penetrated waters of the Japanese homeland and Nansei Shoto. 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. President Harry S. Truman appointed him ambassador to the Philippines in January 1952, and he served until March 1955. 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. [2] He emerged from the war as one of the greater admirals in American naval history. He loved to show them to visitors. When you moved into Admiral Spruance's command, the printed instructions were up to date, and you did things in accordance with them.[19]. On February 26, 1940, Spruance reported as commandant of the 10th Naval District with headquarters at Naval Station Isla Grande in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Aboard the Japanese flattops, many torpedo-carrying planes were waiting for fighters to take off as the American planes dived. Most common sailors were proud to serve under Halsey; most higher-ranking officers preferred to serve under Spruance. He never smoked and drank little. Three bombs hammered her. In June 1942 the United States and Japan fought for control of Midway Island in the South Pacific. Just before the planned invasion of Midway island in June 1942, Halsey suddenly became ill with shingles. 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. northwestward of Midway. My personal congratulations. In June 1931, Spruance returned to Newport, RI to serve on the staff of the Naval War College. The score was 402 Japanese planes and six ships, with a loss of 122 planes from Mitschers flattops. Admiral Raymond Spruance on the balcony of the U.S. Embassy, Manila, while serving as U.S. Admiral Spruance explained the U.S. victory at Midway in the following way. 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. [citation needed]. The Japanese had been overconfident, and the Americans taught them a bitter lesson. 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. Raymond A. Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 3 July 1886. He studied hard, and when he graduated in September 1906, he stood 26th in his class. The Japanese had been battered for weeks by aerial bombardment, and knew the invasion was imminent. Japanese aircraft carrier attached to the Main Body of the fleet and saw close to no action. The attack fails to destroy any airfields or major targets. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, is named Spruance Hall. [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." Pratt, F. "Spruance: Picture of the Admiral," Harpers Magazine 193, no. Morison, "Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions: May 1942 August 1942". (2021, July 31). He enjoyed hot chocolate and would make it for himself every morning. On November 24, Spruance relieved Nimitz as Commander, US Pacific Fleet. 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 The first Japanese airstrike was followed by another. 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. But they expected it to come at the obvious and exposed outer fringe, and when we struck at the heart of the archipelago with a huge fleet that had approached undetected, we enjoyed complete tactical surprise. But the American commander, who could be daring and resourceful when necessary, could also exhibit shrewd caution when his experienced mind sensed an ambush. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer. The Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis has a meeting room named for Spruance as well as displays honoring his career and that of the USS Indianapolis. Japanese Admiral in command of the second division of the carrier strike force based on Aircraft Carrier IJN Hiryu. Fletcher quickly ordered his dive bombers to strike, which fatally damaged the fourth Japanese carrier; it was scuttled the next day. Adding to the surprise factor was the fact that Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo did not believe the U.S. Pacific Fleet was at sea. However, Spruances fleet was also charged with guarding the amphibious landings at Saipan and Tinian. After the enemys raids on Midway, Admiral Spruance ordered the launching of every possible plane to search for and attack the Japanese carriers. At the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese won a tactical victory, but suffered an operational-level defeat: it did not invade Port . 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. Spruance was an active man who thought nothing of walking eight or 10 miles a day. 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. 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. Serving in Manila, Spruance remained abroad until resigning his post in 1955. He also commanded Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway, comprising the carriers Enterprise and Hornet. Lt. Kabayashi leads Japanese bombers from the Hiryu to attack the USS Yorktown. Spruance's rise to fame . Spruance received the Navy Cross for his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.[23]. Notwithstanding their different personalities, Spruance and Halsey were close friends. Japanese propagandists pointed to their success in the Aleutians to offset the defeat at Midway, but actually the Aleutians were of little strategic value. He was drafted on short notice for his date with destiny. 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). [27], Spruance was an active man who thought nothing of walking eight or 10 miles a day. In the seven-week campaign, 55 Japanese ships were sunk, five probably sunk and 74 damaged. 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. Then Nagumos force was spotted by torpedo bombers from Hornets squadron VT-8, led by Lt. Cmdr. Akagi class Japanese aircraft carrier that was part of the first detachment of the Japanese carrier strike force. I can thank heredity for a sound constitution, and myself for taking care of that constitution. In July 1941, his responsibilities were expanded to include oversight of the Caribbean Sea Frontier. ), 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. With the end of the war, Spruance aided in returning American troops home before moving through a succession of engineering postings and destroyer commands. serious damage on the islands installations. [7], Spruance served in Washington until early 1924, when he was ordered to the headquarters, Commander Naval Force in Europe. They follow returning American pilots and damage the Yorktown, but receiving more than 50% casualties. The Americans lost 74 carrier planes; the Japanese 80. Meanwhile, Task Force 58 was busy in the forefront of clearing the Japanese from the 600-mile-long Marianas chain. [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. Having attained the rank of commander, Spruance attended the Senior Course at the Naval War College in July 1926. They were hurled back decisively, and the losses353 enemy planes downed, 21 U.S. aircraft lostamazed the Americans. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. 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. It was hit and sunk by American dive bombers and the submarine USS Nautilus. He readied himself at Stevens Preparatory School in Hoboken, N.J., and entered Annapolis in July 1903 at age 17. 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 . 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. Unites States Rear Admiral in command of Task Force 16 on the USS Enterprise. On April 1, Spruance began the Battle of Okinawa. The Japanese lost 19 ships sunk, seven probably sunk and more than 200 aircraft destroyed, and their installations were bombed and strafed. 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. "World War II: Admiral Raymond Spruance." [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. Returning to Newport, Spruance remained at the college until retiring from the US Navy on July 1, 1948. US Naval Task Force under Frank Fletcher with aircraft carrier Yorktown. The two admirals presented a contrast in styles as Spruance tended to be quiet and meticulous while Halsey was brash and more impetuous. [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. United States airbase targeted by the Japanese in preparation to invade Hawaii. Admiral Nimitz praised Spruance for a remarkable job. Then, reflect on the education opportunities that God has provided us today. 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. As Allied forces battled on the island, Spruance's ships defeated Operation Ten-Go on April 7 which saw the Japanese battleship Yamato attempt to break through to the island. society in the 1950s? 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. His entry in Whos Who in America was only three lines long (including his full name), and a footnote in Morisons monumental history of the U.S. Navy in World War II testifies to his modesty. Yorktowns planes hit Soryu as she was turning into the wind to launch aircraft. I am lazy, and I never have done things myself that I could get someone to do for me. McClusky led one squadron, VB-6, against the carrier Kaga, while the other Enterprise squadron pounced on Nagumos flagship, Akagi. During the attacks, the Japanese lost twelve warships, thirty-two merchant ships, and 249 aircraft. 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. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. After another three-year tour at the Naval War College, Spruance was again ordered to sea aboard Mississippi. He envied no one, rivaled no man, won the respect of almost everyone with whom he came in contact, and went ahead in his quiet way, winning victories for his country.When we come to the admirals who commanded at sea, and who directed a great battle, there was no one to equal Spruance. At Midway, Spruances force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. 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. The U.S. casualties were 199 planes, 128 flight personnel and damage to four warships. He did not discuss his private life, feelings, prejudices, hopes or fears, except perhaps with his family and his closest friends. On August 1, 1941, he finished his tour in Puerto Rico. It faced a Japanese invasion fleet organized into two groups: the air-attack task force of four carriers with support ships under command of Admiral Chichi Nagumo, and the surface and occupation forces under Admiral Nobutake Kond and others. He remained in the position only briefly as he accepted a posting as President of the Naval War College on February 1, 1946. I finally wangled two months at sea, in 1918, before the war was over. The Navy, by law, was limited to four Fleet Admirals; three of these appointments were obvious: Ernest King, Chester Nimitz and William Leahy. The US navy ended up winning the battle and historians consider this a major turning point in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Spruances naval guns started their bombardment two days later. Meanwhile, the Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands had been carried out as planned on June 3. Then it was back to Pebble Beach. He graduated from the U.S. Its commanding officers Admiral Yamaguchi and the ship's captain both stayed aboard their ship. No matter what other people tell you, your decision was correct". During the operation, the Fifth Fleet burned up 630 million gallons of fuelmore than the entire Pacific Fleet used in 1943. Spruance's first duty assignment was aboard the battleship USSIowa, an 11,400 ton veteran of the SpanishAmerican War. 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. Besides his family, he loved the companionship of his pet schnauzer, Peter. Fewer than two days before launch from Pearl Harbor, Nimitz's commander of the fleet carrier force, Admiral Halsey, was hospitalized with severe shingles;[10] Halsey immediately recommended Admiral Spruance to Nimitz as his replacement with Admiral Fletcher receiving overall command. Lt Tomanaga leads Japanese Torpedo Bombers to attack the remaining carriers. He suggested Spruance replace him as commander of the Fleet carrier force, despite the fact that Spruce had little experience with carriers. Spruance began World War II as a gunship admiral, commanding a division of . It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. On December 30, 1914, Spruance married Margaret Vance Dean, the daughter of an Indianapolis businessman. During the third week of May 1942, U.S. naval intelligence units confirmed that the Japanese wouldby early Juneinvade Midway Island. United States Rear Admiral in command of Task Force 17 on the USS Yorktown. Aboard the battleship Yamato, Admiral Yamamoto received word that the U.S. fleet was at Midwaynot Pearl Harbor as he had thought. 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. If this happened, it would enable the Japanese to pinch the Americans between their two carrier forces. D. Suburban America, 100 POINTS! He was a diligent, neat and gentle boy. Akagi class Japanese aircraft carrier that served as the flagship of Admiral Nagumo. The assault began at dawn on November 20, 1943, and the fighting raged for 76 hours. After further schooling at the Stevens Preparatory School in New Jersey, Spruance applied to and was accepted by the US Naval Academy in 1903. Four years later, President Harry S. Truman appointed him as Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines. US Navy SBD dive bombers at the Battle of Midway, June 4, 1942. But his service was not yet finished. 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 died in Pebble Beach, California, on December 13, 1969, and was buried with full military honors at Golden Gate National Cemetery near San Francisco. When Midway began on June 4, 1942 the first few waves of U.S. aircraft were greatly outnumbered by Japanese forces. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years.
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