Biography nimitz

InAnna remarried her husband's brother, William Nimitz, and the family moved to Kerrville. Chester grew into a hard-working, bright young boy who helped his family with their inn and often hiked out to help his grandfather with the Nimitz Hotel in Fredericksburg. When Chester was 16, he attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis, graduating 7th in his biography nimitz of inbeginning a Navy career that lasted nearly half a century.

His career had its hard lessons, one resulting in a court-martial for dereliction of duty, but Nimitz learned from his mistakes and used them to improve himself and his leadership skills. Roosevelt selected Nimitz to replace the former Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet and told him to "get the hell out to Pearl Harbor and don't come back til the war is won!

Through his diligent leadership and shrewd tactics, Nimitz led the Pacific naval fleet in the war against Japan, instituting the island-hopping strategy to use military biographies nimitz and manpower most efficiently. This gave him rank equal to Gen. MacArthur at a time when distinctions between their areas of command were becoming increasingly vague.

Despite previous differences, they worked well together during the final stages of the war. Nimitz signed its instrument of surrender. Following the war Nimitz was appointed chief of naval operations. In this position he dealt effectively with the massive problems of demobilization and successfully defended the Navy's continued control over carrier aviation under the proposed unification of the armed services.

In December he retired and moved to San Francisco. From he devoted much time to serving as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. He died in San Francisco on Feb. There is no book-length study of Nimitz's career. Many of his ideas on strategy can be gleaned from the volume which he and E. Probably the best one-volume history of the U.

The development and use of naval air power in the Pacific are well set forth in Clarke G. Reynolds, Carrier Admiral Brink, Randall. Driskill, Frank A. Nimitz, Austin, Tex. People History U. History: Biographies Chester William Nimitz. Nimitz, Chester oxford. Learn more about citation styles Citation styles Encyclopedia. Chester William Nimitz gale.

Further Reading There is no book-length study of Nimitz's career. Additional Sources Brink, Randall. Potter, E. Elmer BelmontNimitz, Norwalk, Conn. Nimitz, Chester William oxford. Nimitz, Chester William — US admiral. More From encyclopedia. Updated Aug 24 About encyclopedia. Related Topics Chester. Daniel Chester French. SlaydenUS Representative for Texas's 12th congressional districttold him that he had one appointment available for the United States Naval Academy and that he would award it to the best-qualified candidate.

Nimitz felt that this was his only opportunity for further education and spent extra time studying to earn the appointment. He was appointed to the Naval Academy by Slayden inand graduated with distinction on 30 Januaryseventh in a class of Bowen Sr. Cook, Wilhelm L. FriedellWilliam R. FurlongStanford C. HooperRoyal E. IngersollHerbert F.

NewtonHarry E. Shoemaker, John M. Smeallie, John W. Wilcox Jr. In Septemberhe was transferred to the cruiser Baltimore ; on 31 Januaryafter the two biographies nimitz at sea as a warrant officer then required by law, he was commissioned as an ensign. Remaining on Asiatic Station inhe successively served on the gunboat Panaydestroyer Decaturand cruiser Denver.

The destroyer Decatur ran aground on a mud bank in the Philippines on 7 Julywhile under the command of Ensign Nimitz. The incident was the result of a navigational error. Nimitz had failed to check the harbor's tide tables and tried Batangas' harbor when the water level was low, leaving Decatur stuck until the tide rose again the next morning, and she was pulled free by a small steamer.

The board found that Nimitz had indeed made an error in judgment, but they did not recommend any punitive measures against him. Instead, he received a letter of reprimand. In May of that year, he was given command of the flotilla, with additional duty in command of USS Plungerlater renamed A He was promoted directly from ensign to lieutenant in January In Novemberhe was ordered to the Boston Navy Yardto assist in fitting out USS Skipjack and assumed command of that submarine, which had been renamed E-1at her commissioning on 14 February Walsh from drowning, receiving a Silver Lifesaving Medal for his action.

After commanding the Atlantic Submarine Flotilla from May to Marchhe supervised the building of diesel engines for the fleet oil tanker Maumeeunder construction at the New London Ship and Engine CompanyGroton, Connecticut. Returning to the New York Navy Yardhe became executive and engineer officer of Maumee at her commissioning on 23 October After the United States declared war on Germany in AprilNimitz was chief engineer of Maumee while the vessel served as a refueling ship for the first squadron of US Navy destroyers to cross the Atlantic, to take part in the war.

Under his supervision, Maumee conducted the first-ever underway refuelings. On 16 September, he reported to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and on October 25 was given additional duty as senior member, Board of Submarine Design. He then commanded the cruiser Chicago with additional duty in command of Submarine Division 14based at Pearl HarborHawaii.

While in command, he conducted an investigation into the R sailing incident. His handling of the disciplinary action in the aftermath of the investigation was considered a model of even-handed fairness, cementing his reputation as a solid and capable leader. In Augusthe went to the University of California, Berkeleywhere he established one of the first Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps units and successfully advocated for the program's expansion.

Nimitz lost part of a finger in an accident with a diesel engine, saving the rest of it only when the machine briefly jammed against his Annapolis ring. In Junehe took command of Submarine Division In Junehe assumed command of the destroyer tender Rigel and the destroyers out of commission at San Diego, California. In Octoberhe took command of the cruiser Augusta and deployed to the Far Eastwhere in December, Augusta became the flagship of the Asiatic Fleet.

While in command of the Augusta, his legal aide was Chesty Puller.

Biography nimitz

In AprilNimitz returned home for three years as assistant chief of the Bureau of Navigation, before becoming commander, Cruiser Division 2, Battle Force. On 15 Junehe was appointed chief of the Bureau of Navigation. During this time, Nimitz conducted experiments in the underway refueling of large ships which would prove a key element in the Navy's success in the war to come.

Nimitz immediately biography nimitz Washington for Hawaii and took command in a ceremony on the top deck of the submarine Grayling. He was promoted to the rank of admiraleffective 31 Decemberupon assuming command. The change of command ceremony would normally have taken place aboard a battleship; however, every battleship in Pearl Harbor had been either sunk or damaged during the attack.

Assuming command at the most critical period of the war in the Pacific, Admiral Nimitz organized his forces to halt the Japanese advance, despite the shortage of ships, planes, and supplies. The Japanese had kept radio silence before the attack on Pearl Harbor, although events were then moving so rapidly they had to rely on coded biography nimitz messages they did not realize were being read in Hawaii.

Instead, they proposed an island-hopping plan that would allow them to bypass most of the Japanese strength in the Central Pacific until they reached Okinawa. President Roosevelt compromised, giving both MacArthur and Nimitz their own theaters. The two Pacific theaters were favored, to the dismay of generals George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhowerwho favored a Germany-first strategy.

King and Nimitz provided MacArthur with some naval forces but kept most of the carriers. 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 biography nimitz 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.