He graduated from the U.S. Aboard the Japanese flattops, many torpedo-carrying planes were waiting for fighters to take off as the American planes dived. Spruance's seagoing career included command of the destroyers Bainbridge from March 1913 to May 1914, Osborne, three other destroyers, and the battleship Mississippi. For the main Midway assault, the Japanese force consisted of the main battle fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, composed of three battleships, a light carrier and a destroyer screen; Admiral Chuichi Nagumos combined fleet of two battleships, two heavy cruisers, destroyers and four fleet carriers carrying more than 250 aircraft; and an invasion task force led by Admiral Nobutake Kondo, consisting of a dozen transport ships carrying 5,000 troops, closely supported by four heavy cruisers, two battleships and a light carrier; and a three-cordon submarine force intended to neutralize U.S. countermoves. His division was an element of the task force built around the aircraft carrier USSEnterprise and commanded by Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. When Yorktown was struck at Midway, however, Fletcher transferred his flag to the cruiser Astoria and placed Spruance tactically in charge. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. He suggested Spruance replace him as commander of the Fleet carrier force, despite the fact that Spruce had little experience with carriers. Although he broke the back of the Japanese naval air force by sinking three carriers, two oilers and destroying about 600 enemy airplanes (so many that the remaining Japanese carriers were used solely as decoys in the Battle of Leyte Gulf a few months later due to the lack of aircraft and aircrews to fly them) Spruance has been criticized for not being aggressive enough in exploiting his success in the Philippine Sea. In May 1914, Spruance received a posting as Assistant to the Inspector of Machinery at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. Meanwhile, the Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands had been carried out as planned on June 3. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/admiral-raymond-spruance-2360511. His steady rise, according to Newsweek magazine, has borne the imprint of his personalityunobtrusive but undeviating. Before Midway, a small and fractional U.S. Navy faced an overwhelmingly larger and battle-hardened Japanese Combined Fleet. He commanded U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The gallant carrier was crippled but nearly succeeded in reaching safety before torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-68 finally sank her three days later. He is responsible for the Japanese battle plan to attack Midway and the Aleutian Islands. The sole survivor of the squadrons 30 officers and men was Ensign George H. Gay, Jr., who spent several hours floating in the water, watching the battle. 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. C. The Roman Catholic Church developed in Constantinople. The Eastern Orthodox Church developed from the church in Constantinople. Spruance's rise to fame . Spruance was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service at Midway. Finishing the course, he completed a tour in the Office of Naval Intelligence before being posted to USS Mississippi (BB-41) in October 1929 as executive officer. President Harry S. Truman appointed him ambassador to the Philippines in January 1952, and he served until March 1955. As the war progressed, Spruance became one of two primary . Admiral Spruance explained the U.S. victory at Midway in the following way. Adding to the surprise factor was the fact that Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo did not believe the U.S. Pacific Fleet was at sea. On February 19, American forces landed and opened the Battle of Iwo Jima. In the opening weeks of the conflict, Spruance's cruisers served under Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey and took part in raids against the Gilbert and Marshall Islands before striking Wake Island. Naval Academy at Annapolis. Armed with this information, Fletcher ordered Spruance to launch a strike at the Japanese with Enterprise and Hornet while holding Yorktown in reserve in case the other Japanese carriers were discovered. 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. Returning to Newport, Spruance remained at the college until retiring from the US Navy on July 1, 1948. The Saipan campaign began with air attacks on June 10, 1944. Hickman, Kennedy. When she went to sea in 1916, he went with her. [25], Spruance was President of the Naval War College from February 1946 until he retired from the Navy in July 1948. . Morisons text refers to Spruance, victor at Midway. 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. In January 1945, Spruance resumed command of the fleet and began moving against Iwo Jima. Just before the planned invasion of Midway island in June 1942, Halsey suddenly became ill with shingles. Yet the decision is hailed by the series's narrator as instrumental in sealing the American victory. In this state the Japanese carriers would be extremely vulnerable. And with this battle the American forces gained, and afterwards continued to gain, hard combat experience; so the Japanese lost that crucial advantage as well. The three-day operation was the most extensive ever undertaken by carriers. "Foreward for Midway." US Naval Institute Proceedings 81, no. Because of gaps in the search patterns flown by the Japanese, the American carriers were able to approach unseen. He organized the Japanese counterattack on the American carriers and is credited with the sinking of the USS Yorktown, the only American Carrier sunk at Midway. Above all, Midway was the turning point that heralded the ultimate defeat of Japan. He withdrew his ships westward, still hoping to draw Spruance into a trap. The U.S. Navy counterforce sank all four Japanese carriers while losing one of its own, Yorktown. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. Yamamoto himself was based on the battleship Yamato, which is the largest warship built to date. Japanese escort carrier that was mainly responsible for launching scouts attached to Combined Fleet main body. She went down with Admiral Yamaguchi, an outstanding flag officer who, it was said, would have been Yamamotos successor had he lived. He was commissioned an ensign in 1908, and during a tour of shore duty he took a postgraduate course in electrical engineering in Schenectady, N.Y. Word of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned the United States, and Churchill was reported to have wept when he heard about it. It was spotted by scouts from the USS Hornet and destroyed by planes from the Enterprise. That is how the US navy could inflict great damage to the Japanese fleet and aircraft. No matter what other people tell you, your decision was correct". That December he was elevated to rear admiral, and in February 1940 he was placed in command of the 10th Naval District (Caribbean), with his headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico. One exception was Admiral John Towers, a constant critic of Spruance, whom Spruance came to despise for his naked ambition.[18]. He was appointed as Ambassador to the Philippines by President Harry S. Truman, and served there from 1952 to 1955. D. The Pope lived in Constantinople. The score was 402 Japanese planes and six ships, with a loss of 122 planes from Mitschers flattops. And, off Okinawa, Spruance never faltered in face of the destruction wrought by the kamikazes. 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 Fifth Fleet commanders citation read: Responsible for the operation of a vast and complicated organization which included more than 500,000 men of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, 318 combatant vessels and 1,139 auxiliary vessels, [he] directed the forces under his command with daring, courage and aggressiveness. U.S. losses were low: 25 airplanes and 18 lives. In July 1941, his responsibilities were expanded to include oversight of the Caribbean Sea Frontier. [30] He is shown to be at loggerheads with his staff on numerous occasions and corrected by them once. Naval Academy in 1906,[5] and received further, hands-on education in electrical engineering a few years later. 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. Web. 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. It was hit and shortly after destroyed by American dive bombers. 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. Admiral Spruance said that what they did was to wait until the Japanese ships were refueling, carrying weapons, and preparing their aircraft to attack them because the Japanese were in a vulnerable position. The Americans were able to count on Yorktown, however, after patching her up in an astonishing two days instead of 90 days as had been estimated. Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoes and torpedoes a damaged US aircraft carrier and its escorting destroyer. 7 reviews. Ambassador to the Philippines in 1952-55. Fifteen Buffaloes and two Wildcats were lost, but the garrisons anti-aircraft fire was effective. This was said to be the first time that a four-star admiral took part in a sea action aboard one of the ships engaged. 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. Since US intelligence had reported the possibility that the Kido Butai would be operating in two separate task forces, that meant that Fletcher only knew the location of half of the carrier force. They find and score 3 hits on the USS Yorktown, but also sustain heavy losses. The repulse of the Japanese invasion fleet at Midway, and critically the destruction of the Kido Butai, allowed the U.S. to gain parity in the naval air war. The attack fails to destroy any airfields or major targets. The American toll was 1,100 dead and almost 2,300 wounded. Why was Chester W Nimitz important? Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. >A few days later, Mitscher rejoined Spruance and the Fifth Fleet. 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