how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet
Raymond A. Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 3 July 1886. Terms of Use| Japanese aircraft carrier squadron under the command of Chuichi Nagumo in command of aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. 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. Spruance was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and in May 1943 he was promoted to vice admiral. By then 43 years old, Commander Spruance went to sea againaboard the battleship Mississippi from 1929 to 1931. By that time, he was said to be an expert on the many engines, instruments and guns that go into a battleship. All three were eventually scuttled. British Royal Navy units helped support the landings. A. . The Japanese felt that they had won the encounter. The following year, the new admiral was ordered to the Pacific. In the fighting, the Japanese lost three carriers and around 600 aircraft. 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. 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. 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. Furthermore, Spruance ordered that the air squadrons fly directly to their targets before assembling every squadron into a proper formation, gambling that the attacks would leave the enemy carriers in disarray and delay the launching of their own counterstrike. It was hit multiple times by aircraft from the IJN Hiryu and later torpedoed by a Japanese submarine before sinking. 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. The surviving carrier, Hiry, gave the Japanese some brief respite by sending strikes that again damaged Yorktown. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Command. From there, he went on to graduate from the U.S. Admiral Spruances last campaigns were the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. At Midway, Spruance's force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. King said to him "Spruance, you did a damn fine job there. US Naval Task Force under Frank Fletcher with aircraft carrier Yorktown. Spruance also held several engineering . Admiral Yamaguchi and the Hiryu's captain decide to stay aboard the ship. B. Jim Crow Laws The month before, American and Japanese naval units had fought the Battle of the Coral Sea, and both closely matched sides had suffered. Spruance served as executive officer of USS Mississippi from October 1929 to June 1931. His torpedo bombershaving switched to bombs for the attack on Midwaywere away, and most of his protective fighters were out on patrol. 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. To the Aleutians, the Japanese dispatched an invasion task force of three transports carrying 2,400 troops, supported by two heavy cruisers, a two-carrier support force and a covering group of four battleships. Historian Morison later described Spruances performance at Midway as superb. He graduated from the U.S. His wife, Margaret Dean (18881985), is buried alongside him, as are Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, his longtime friend Admiral Richmond K. Turner, and Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, an arrangement made by all of them while living. Spruance received the Navy Cross for his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.[23]. Thus the Americans knew the Japanese planned to move toward Midway. For most of the war, Spruance preferred to use the heavy cruiser USSIndianapolis, named for his hometown, as his flagship. Japanese supporting aircraft carrier in the corresponding Aleutian Islands Invasion. Successfully concluding operations, Spruance was promoted to admiral in February. Midway bought the United States valuable time until the new Essex-class fleet carriers became available at the end of the year. Akagi class Japanese aircraft carrier that served as the flagship of Admiral Nagumo. [citation needed]. He advanced quickly through the ranks, becoming an admiral in 1944. But the American commander, who could be daring and resourceful when necessary, could also exhibit shrewd caution when his experienced mind sensed an ambush. On April 22, Task Force 58s guns and planes supported the U.S. invasion of Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea and Aitape in Australian New Guinea. [11] Although Spruance was proven as a cruiser division commander, he had no experience handling carrier-air combat; Halsey reassured Nimitz, and he told Spruance and Fletcher to rely on their newly inherited staff, particularly Captain Miles Browning, a battle-proven expert in carrier warfare. Spruance became Commander of the 5th Fleet in November 1943, which presented him with command of the Central Pacific Forces. During this period, Spruance served aboard USS Minnesota (BB-22) during the cruise of the Great White Fleet. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. Raymond A. Spruance emerged from the battle one of the greatest admirals in American naval history". On August 1, 1941, he finished his tour in Puerto Rico. A decisive victory, Spruance and Fletcher's actions at Midway helped turn the tide of the Pacific war in favor of the Allies. Japanese Vice Admiral in command of the Japanese Carrier strike force based on the Aircraft Carrier IJN Akagi. Lieutenant in command of the USS Yorktown air group. [17], The Battle of Midway is considered by many to be a turning point of the war in the Pacific, along with the Guadalcanal campaign. After Rome fell, the bishop of Constantinople became the most pow HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. But several hours laternear the end of daylight hoursa U.S. scout plane located Hiry again. The Saipan campaign began with air attacks on June 10, 1944. Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Leslies VB-3 from Yorktown attacked the carrier Soryu. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. 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. At Midway, Spruances force inflicted on the Imperial Japanese Navy its worst setback in 350 years. 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 Marine fighters and anti-aircraft fire shot down or badly damaged about a third of the enemy attack group. He withdrew his ships westward, still hoping to draw Spruance into a trap. Admiral Nimitz praised Spruance for a remarkable job. [Admiral Spruance wrote this foreward for Mitsuo Fuchida's book, Midway, The Battle That Doomed Japan; The Japanese Navy's . Raymond A. Spruance. In this state the Japanese carriers would be extremely vulnerable. This occurred at the same time that Admiral Turner's forces were attacking Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshalls, about 700 miles to the east. His work would bring him a gold star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal. When New Mexico was struck by two kamikaze on the night of 12 May 1945 a hasty search by Spruance's staff found the Admiral manning a fire hose amidship. 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. Admiral Yamamoto commanded the combined invasion fleet from aboard his flagship Yamato. Mounting a tenacious defense, the Japanese held out for over a month. [7], He commanded the Percival during the sea trials off the California coast and during the patrol cruises with the Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet until May 1922, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C., for duty in the Bureau of Engineering under Rear Admiral John K. Robison. 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. With World War I raging, he became Assistant Engineer Officer of the New York Navy Yard. When Midway began on June 4, 1942 the first few waves of U.S. aircraft were greatly outnumbered by Japanese forces. During the attacks, the Japanese lost twelve warships, thirty-two merchant ships, and 249 aircraft. 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. I was shanghaied ashore in November of the next year to take over as electrical superintendent at the New York Navy Yard, said Spruance. ThoughtCo. 1, and he commanded her until 1914. After his funeral, he was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery near the grave of his wartime commander, Nimitz. Naval Academy in 1906 and received further education in electrical engineering a few years later. Hiryu class Japanese aircraft carrier that was the flagship of the second detachment of the carrier strike force. serious damage on the islands installations. Two years later, he aided in the fitting out of USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) then under construction in the yard. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. Maintaining a position offshore, the Fifth Fleet's ships were subjected to relentless kamikaze attacks by Japanese aircraft. Weeks later . He was the united states navy fleet admiral in the some of the The battle of Midway was one of the most decisive battle in th Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, Japanese fleet commander, chose to i An academic building at the Naval War College was also named for him. 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. 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. This approach of bypassing Japanese strong points, such as Truk, was applied on a large scale as the Allies devised their strategy for moving across the central Pacific. The Japanese managed to inflict only superficial damage on three ships. For his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Spruance was awarded the Navy Cross. He did not discuss his private life, feelings, prejudices, hopes or fears, except with his family and his closest friends. Midway Island sent a false message stating that its water distillation plant had been damaged and that the base needed fresh water. Graduating from Annapolis three years later, he served two years at sea before receiving his commission as an ensign on September 13, 1908. In April, Nimitz divided command of the Central Pacific Force between Spruance and Halsey. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer. Despite this, some detractors argued that Spruances tactics at Philippine Sea were overly cautious. He was fond of symphonic music, and his tastes were generally simple. Navy Secretary Frank Knox said of Kwajalein: The Japanese had been there 20 years. Word of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned the United States, and Churchill was reported to have wept when he heard about it. Shortly after the Midway battle, Spruance became chief of staff to Admiral Nimitz, and in September 1942 was appointed as Deputy Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 3, 1886, to Alexander and Annie Hiss Spruance. [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. 2015. 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. 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. 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