Fleet admiral chester nimitz biography of michael

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor inhe was promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet with the rank of Admiral, having both land and sea forces under his authority.

Fleet admiral chester nimitz biography of michael

Nimitz positioned his carrier fleet to take advantage of the Japanese attack at Midway and the Coral Sea in By winning these desperate battles, he inflicted heavy losses on his adversaries. He directed a new, shorter line of attack across the Pacific that caught the Japanese defenders flat-footed. His naval forces captured Iwo Jima and Okinawa in After WW II Nimitz served as Chief of Naval Operations from to mastering the difficult task of reducing the most powerful navy in the world to a fraction of its war-time strength, while establishing and overseeing active and reserve fleets with the strength and readiness required to support national policy.

Since his rank of Fleet Admiral is a lifetime appointment, he remained on active duty for the rest of his life, even though in Nimitz later years he served mostly in ceremonial posts. His remains were laid to rest at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno with full military honors alongside his wife and his long-term friends Admiral Raymond Spruance, Admiral Richmond Turner and Admiral Charles Lockwood and their wives, an arrangement made by all of them while living.

Loading comment The comment will be refreshed after Latest Video Listing: Generalfeldmarschall Walther Model. Latest Content From May to…. Long Reads However, when the time came to plan an invasion of Japan, MacArthur was given overall command. Nimitz faced superior Japanese forces at the crucial defensive actions of the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway.

The Battle of the Coral Sea, while a loss in terms of total damage suffered, has been described as resulting in the strategic success of turning back an apparent Japanese invasion of Port Moresby on the island of New Guinea. Two Japanese carriers were temporarily taken out of action in the battle, which would deprive the Japanese of their use in the Midway operation that shortly followed.

The Navy's intelligence team reasoned that the Japanese would be attacking Midway, so Nimitz moved all his available forces to the defense. The severe losses in Japanese carriers at Midway affected the balance of naval air power during the remainder of and were crucial in neutralizing Japanese offensive threats in the South Pacific.

Naval engagements during the Battle of Guadalcanal left both forces severely depleted. However, with the allied advantage in land-based air-power, the results were sufficient to secure Guadalcanal. The US and allied forces then undertook to neutralize remaining Japanese offensive threats with the Solomon Islands campaign and the New Guinea campaignwhile building capabilities for major fleet actions.

InMidway became a forward submarine base, greatly enhancing US capabilities against Japanese shipping. In terms of combat, was a relatively quiet year, but it proved decisive inasmuch as Nimitz gained the materiel and manpower needed to launch major fleet offensives to destroy Japanese power in the central Pacific region. This drive opened with the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign from November to Februaryfollowed by the destruction of the strategic Japanese base at Truk Lagoonand the Marianas campaign that brought the Japanese homeland within range of new strategic bombers.

Nimitz's forces inflicted a decisive defeat on the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea 19—20 Junewhich allowed the capture of SaipanGuamand Tinian. In the Philippines, his ships destroyed much of the remaining Japanese naval power at the Battle of Leyte Gulfthat lasted from 24—26 October With the loss of the Philippines, Japan's energy supply routes from Indonesia came under direct threat, crippling their war effort.

By act of Congress, passed on 14 Decemberthe rank of fleet admiral — the highest rank in the Navy — was established. The next day President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Nimitz to that rank. Nimitz took the oath of that office on 19 December Nimitz's wife remained in the continental United States for the duration of the war and did not join her husband in Hawaii or Guam.

InNimitz's forces launched successful amphibious assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa and his carriers raided the home waters of Japan. In addition, Nimitz also arranged for the Army Air Force to mine the Japanese ports and waterways by air with B Superfortresses in a successful mission called Operation Starvationwhich severely interrupted Japanese logistics.

Truman "for exceptionally meritorious service as Commander in Chief, U. He had assured the President that he was willing to serve as the CNO for one two-year term, but no longer. He tackled the difficult task of reducing the most powerful navy in the world to a fraction of its war-time strength while establishing and overseeing active and reserve fleets with the strength and readiness required to support national policy.

Rickover 's chain-of-command-circumventing proposal in to build USS Nautilusthe world's first nuclear-powered vessel. However, since the rank of fleet admiral is a lifetime appointment, he remained on active duty for the rest of his life, with full pay and benefits. He and his wife, Catherine, moved to Berkeley, California. Nimitz became a member of the Bohemian Club of San Francisco.

Nimitz served as a regent of the University of California from towhere he had formerly been a faculty member as a professor of naval science for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Catherine Vance graduated from the University of California, Berkeleyin[ 43 ] became a music librarian with the Washington D. Chester Nimitz Jr. She taught biology for 16 years and was academic dean for 11 years, acting president for one year, and vice president for institutional research for 13 years before becoming the university's emergency preparedness coordinator.

She held this job until her death, due to cancer, on 27 February Nimitz was also a Freemason. In lateNimitz suffered a stroke, complicated by pneumonia. SpruanceAdmiral Richmond K. Turnerand Admiral Charles A. Lockwood and their wives, an arrangement made by all of them while living. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history.

Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikidata item. United States Navy fleet admiral — Official portrait, c. See list. Early life and education [ edit ]. Military career [ edit ]. Early career [ edit ]. World War I [ edit ]. Interwar Period [ edit ]. World War II [ edit ]. Post war [ edit ].

Inactive duty as a fleet admiral [ edit ]. Personal life [ edit ]. Death [ edit ]. Dates of rank [ edit ]. Decorations and awards [ edit ]. United States awards [ edit ]. Foreign awards [ edit ]. Orders [ edit ]. Decorations [ edit ]. Service medals [ edit ]. Memorials and legacy [ edit ]. Schools [ edit ]. Depictions in media [ edit ]. See also [ edit ].

References [ edit ]. Spencer C. Tucker ISBN Pacific War Museum. Archived from the original on 3 August Retrieved 11 June Ford: Remarks at the U. Nimitz Commissioning Ceremony in Norfolk, Virginia". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved 10 May Nimitz Biographical Sketch". The National Museum of the Pacific War. Archived from the fleet admiral chester nimitz biography of michael on 24 April Nimitz Library U.

Naval Academy. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Archived from the original on 16 March Chester W. Nimitz, USN ". USNI Blog. Retrieved 17 February Lewis B. New York, N. Government Printing Office. Buell Naval Institute Press. Jansson Columbia University Press. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein, and Katherine V. Dillon, Miracle at Midway Admiral Bill Halsey.

Harvard UP. History Teacher : Bradford, "Nimitz, Admiral Chester — ". The Encyclopedia of War Position as Plebiscite Administrator for Kashmir". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 27 July Archived from the original PDF on January 10, Retrieved July 27, Jammu and Kashmir, the Cold War and the West. Retrieved on July 10, Cape Cod Times.