Commander In Chief Of The Pacific Fleet example essay topic

The name Chester W. Nimitz is legendary to American naval history. Nimitz who commanded the United States Pacific fleet guided Allied forces to victory in World War II. It was said that Nimitz was soft spoken, a team player, and a leader by example rather than exhortation. Although his tactical skills were considerable, some believe his greatest attribute was his leadership ability.

Growing up in Fredericksburg in Central Texas, Chester Nimitz hardly seemed destined to become one of American's heroes. He was born February 24th, 1885 near his grandfather's hotel. The son of Chester Bernard and Anna Nimitz, he grew up under the tutelage of his grandfather Charles Nimitz, a German immigrant, former seaman and owner of Nimitz Hotel. Chester often recalled his grandfather fondly and credited him with shaping his character and values. Initially, Chester determined to seek an appointment to West Point. However, there was not an appointment immediately available, so he took an exam for the United States Naval Academy instead.

He was selected and appointed from the Twelfth Congressional District of Texas in 1901. He graduated seventh in his class of 114 at Annapolis on January 30th, 1905. The Naval Academy's yearbook described him as a man "of cheerful yesterdays and confident tomorrows". Nimitz's early career was strong but hardly remarkable. After graduation, he joined the U.S.S. Ohio as a midshipman.

After two years of sea duty, he was commissioned Ensign, and took command of the gunboat "Panay" in the Philippines. He then commanded the destroyer "Decatur" and was later court marshaled for grounding her. He was reprimanded and denied his request for battleship duty. Assigned to a submarine instead, Nimitz soon became a leading authority in the new discipline of submarine warfare. He built a resume of experience that proved valuable in both world wars. He lectured on submarine tactics at the naval war college in 1912.

In 1913, shortly after his marriage to Catherine Freeman, the Nimitz's left for Europe. It was there in Germany and Belgium that Nimitz would study diesel engines. He returned to Brooklyn Naval Yard to supervise the building and installation of the first diesel engine to power a United States Naval Vessel. As commander in World War I, he served as Chief of Staff to Admiral Samuel Robinson, Commander of the Atlantic Submarine Force, then as executive officer of the battleship "South Carolina". As early as 1922, Nimitz acknowledged Japan as a threat to the United States. He would write from the Naval Academy that the courses there were so thorough that after the start of World War II, that nothing happened in the Pacific was strange or unexpected.

He in fact dealt with a theoretical Pacific war, developing the plan that he eventually put to use. Nimitz also established one of the first Naval Reserve Officer Training programs at the University of California at Berkeley in 1926. His model was duplicated in 52 colleges and universities. In 1933, he took command of a heavy cruiser division in the Far East.

This experience would also prove valuable, familiarizing Nimitz with the region. From 1939 to 1941, he served as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation in Washington, a position he held when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. In the aftermath of the attack, Admiral H.E. Kimmel was relieved as commander-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet. In late December of 1941, Nimitz was designated as Commander -in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean areas. With authority over the entire Pacific theater, (except for General MacArthur's Southwest fleet), Nimitz coordinated the offensive that brought the Japanese to unconditional surrender. Initially, however, he viewed his primary task as combating American negativity towards the Pearl Harbor disaster.

He focused instead on enemy mistakes and positive aspects of the American position. It was from his headquarters that he directed both the Navy and Marines. He helped develop a strategy of island hopping, in which each island that was captured became the point to attack the next target. Islands that were Japanese strongholds were skipped, saving lives and time. Meanwhile, Nimitz made a key decision, employing his submarines in unrestricted warfare against the Japanese merchant fleets. His submarines had the range to reach Japan and the stealth to lurk in enemy waters.

At first, U.S. submarines were hampered by over cautious commanders and faulty design. By mid 1943, however, the United States replaced its aging submarine prototypes with new, reliable fleet boats. The U.S. submarine war in the Pacific then went into high gear. The Japanese were unable to replace their ship losses, and their available merchant ships could not maintain the flow of food that Japan needed. Increased losses in the next two years were so devastating that Japan was literally unable to feed itself, let alone operate war industries at capacity. U.S. subs not only destroyed Japanese transports, they also sunk a greater tonnage of Japanese warships than carrier aviation, land based aircraft, surface warships, or any other allied forces. Nimitz's bold tactics and strategy were largely responsible for stopping the Japanese advance at the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942) and the victorious Battle of Midway (June 1942).

In the Battle of Midway, Nimitz's fighter bombers caught the Japanese fleet off guard, as its carrier aircraft were being refueled on deck. His planes flew in and sunk four Japanese carriers- Hi ryu, So ryu, Akai, and Kara- that led the attack on Pearl Harbor. The victories in the Coral Sea and at Midway Island restored allied confidence. Many historians feel this was the turning point of the Pacific war.

Nimitz's ability to select the best the Navy had to offer for the key command positions in the Pacific, his own tactical ability, and the talent of extracting the best from the officers and men serving under his command, played an important part in the ultimate victory over Japan. On December 19th, 1944, he was advanced to the newly created rank of Fleet Admiral. On September 2nd, 1945, he served as the United State signatory to the surrender terms aboard the battleship U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay. After the surrender Ceremony was over, he released the following statement from broadcast: "On Guam is a military cemetery in a green valley not far from my headquarters.

The ordered rows of white crosses stand as reminders of the heavy cost paid for victory. On these crosses are the names of American soldiers, sailors, and marines... a cross section of democracy. They fought together as brothers in arms; they died together and now sleep side by side. To men we have a solemn obligation - the obligation to insure that their sacrifice will help make this a better and safer world in which to live".

Nimitz took down the flag at Pearl Harbor on November 26th, 1945 and on December 15th; he relieved Fleet Admiral E.J. King as Chief Naval Operations. October 5th, 1945 was officially designated "Nimitz Day" in Washington D.C. Admiral Nimitz was personally presented a gold star in lieu of the third Distinguished Service Medal by President Truman. "For exceptional meritorious service as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean areas... He demonstrated the highest qualities of the greatest distinction to his country". (As quoted from the Navy Office of Information).

After the war, Nimitz reported as the special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy in the Western Sea Frontier. By 1949, he was nominated as Plebiscite Administrator for Kashmir under the United Nations. That did not materialize, and he asked to receive an assignment as goodwill ambassador of the United Nations. In 1951, President Truman appointed him chairman of the nine-man commission on International Security and Industrial Rights. After a severe fall in 1963, the admiral moved with Mrs. Nimitz from Berkeley to naval quarters on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. He continued to take active interest in Naval and national affairs.

He served as honorary vice president and later honorary president of the Naval Historical Foundation. In January 1966, he suffered a stroke complicated by pneumonia. He died on February 20th, 1966 and was buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery. Aside from being a great naval leader, Nimitz was also a devoted father and husband. He never wrote memoirs because he was afraid that if he presented his side, it might belittle the accomplishments of others.