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141-633: Ernest Joseph King (23 November 1878 – 25 June 1956) was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy who served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during World War II . He was the U.S. Navy's second-most senior officer in World War ;II after Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy , who served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief . He directed

282-579: A Baltimore socialite he had met while at the Naval Academy. They had become engaged in January 1903. She was living at West Point, New York , with her sister Florence, who had married an Army officer, Walter D. Smith . King and Egerton were married in a ceremony in the West Point Cadet Chapel on 10 October 1905. They had six daughters, Claire, Elizabeth, Florence, Martha, Eleanor and Mildred; and

423-682: A destroyer . He received his first command, the destroyer USS  Terry on 30 April 1914, participating in the United States occupation of Veracruz , escorting a mule transport from Galveston, Texas . He then moved on to his second command, a more modern destroyer, the USS ; Cassin on 18 July 1914. He also served as an aide-de-camp to the commander of the Atlantic Fleet destroyer flotilla, Captain William S. Sims . In December 1915, King joined

564-513: A naval cadet on 18 August 1897. He acquired the nickname "Rey", the Spanish word for "king". During the summer breaks, naval cadets served on ships to accustom them to life at sea. While still at the Naval Academy, King served on the cruiser USS  San Francisco during the Spanish–American War . During his senior year at the academy, he attained the rank of cadet lieutenant commander,

705-425: A Japanese citizen, graduated from the academy. And then in 1879, Robert F. Lopez was the first Hispanic-American to graduate from the academy. John H. Conyers of South Carolina was the first African-American admitted on 21 September 1872. After his arrival, he was subject to severe, ongoing hazing, including verbal torment, and beatings. His classmates even attempted to drown him. Three cadets were dismissed as

846-470: A brief interlude overseeing the salvage of USS  S-4 , for which he was awarded a gold star to his Distinguished Service Medal. He then became Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics under Moffett. The two quarreled over certain elements of Bureau policy, and King was replaced by Commander John Henry Towers and transferred to command of Naval Station Norfolk . On 20 June 1930, King became captain of

987-505: A building with a rubber-reinforced roof containing three hangars (one for each of the newly purchased airplanes), a workshop, an office, and several bunk rooms. All three airplanes cost a total of $ 14,000. Over 100 officers applied for aviation duty prior to August 1911. Swimming was among a set of other qualifications that a pilot candidate must have passed before being accepted to aviation duty. Pilot qualifications were in accordance with Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) standards. In

1128-469: A considerable interest in naval education, supporting an apprentice system to train new seamen, and helped establish the curriculum for the United States Naval Academy. He was also a vocal proponent of modernization of the navy. Originally a course of study for five years was prescribed. Only the first and last were spent at the school with the other three being passed at sea. The present name

1269-743: A general of the army, a fleet admiral was entitled to an office maintained by the Navy along with an aide (of the Naval rank of Captain ), a secretary , and an orderly . Three of the four fleet admirals died in the late 1950s and, by 1960, Chester Nimitz was the sole surviving U.S. Navy fleet admiral. He held a ceremonial post as Navy adviser to the Western Sea Frontier with his quarters based in San Francisco. Nimitz died in 1966 with no further fleet admirals appointed since. The President, with consent from

1410-646: A heavy drinker, he gave up hard liquor for the duration of the war in March 1941. In April 1941, King was summoned to Hyde Park, New York , where Roosevelt informed him of an upcoming conference with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , Winston Churchill , at Argentia . He went to Hyde Park again in July to make further arrangements. King found the old Texas to be unsuitable as a flagship, and on 24 April he switched to

1551-500: A joint general staff, but in the face of opposition from King, he backed down on the idea of an executive head of the services. Instead, Marshall pressed for a senior officer to act as a JCS spokesperson and a liaison between the JCS and the President. He nominated Leahy for the post, hoping that a naval officer would be more acceptable to King. King remained opposed, but Roosevelt was convinced of

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1692-409: A law ( 10 USC Sec. 5942 ) requiring commanders of all aircraft carriers , seaplane tenders , and aviation shore establishments be qualified naval aviators or naval aviation observers . King therefore reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida, for aviator training in January 1927. He was the only captain in his class of twenty; although it also included Commander Richmond K. Turner , most of

1833-577: A lifetime membership of the United States Naval Institute . Due to the expansion of the navy, officers like King who had served three years at sea as an ensign became eligible for promotion to lieutenant ; only the few who failed to pass the examinations were promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) . This involved traveling to Washington, D.C. , for ten days of physical examinations and tests of his professional knowledge in May 1906. The final hurdle

1974-535: A member of the JCS, King had to remain in Washington, D.C. The following year, Knox tried to have Horne, who dealt with most of the CNO work like preparing budgets and appearing before Congress, appointed as CNO. This too failed, as it required executive action by Roosevelt, and King elevated Edwards over Horne's head to the new position of deputy COMINCH and deputy CNO on 1 October 1944. Cooke replaced Edwards as chief of staff to

2115-514: A mid-ocean meeting point, where they met escorts from the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy . The United States was now engaged in an undeclared war, although they were still restricted by the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s . On 31 October, the destroyer USS  Reuben James became the first U.S. warship to be sunk by a German U-boat . In response to this and other incidents, Congress amended

2256-624: A mistake in appointing him. King had Willson retired in August 1942 due to heart conduction and replaced him with Edwards. When Turner went to the South Pacific for the Guadalcanal campaign , he was succeeded by Rear Admiral Charles M. Cooke Jr. . Although he was now based at the Navy Department in Washington, D.C., King wanted to be able to put to sea himself at any time. For his flagship, he selected

2397-504: A note to Knox in August 1943 he wrote: "Tell Ernie once more: No reorganizing of the Navy Dept. set-up during the war. Let's win it first." With King reporting directly to Roosevelt and only under his "general supervision", Knox saw King as a threat to his authority. He attempted to remove King in 1942 by suggesting he assume command in the Pacific as COMINCH, but this was not possible because as

2538-611: A position with the Pennsylvania Railroad workshops, but returned to Lorain a year later. When King was eleven years old, the family moved to Cleveland , where his father was a foreman at the Valley Railway workshops, and King was educated at the Fowler School. He decided to go to work rather than high school, and took a position with a company that made typesetting machines. When it closed he went to work for his father. After

2679-402: A request for $ 300 million to carry out the program. Edison was impressed, and wrote to Roosevelt, recommending that King be appointed CINCUS, but Roosevelt did not make the appointment, influenced by King's heavy drinking. The CNO, Admiral Harold R. Stark , considered King's talent for command was being wasted on the general board. In September 1940, Stark summoned King to his office, along with

2820-513: A restructure on 28 May. It was opposed by Knox and the Under Secretary of the Navy , James V. Forrestal , who saw it a challenge to their authority, and by the bureau chiefs, who feared a loss of their autonomy. Most importantly, it was opposed by Roosevelt, who, on 12 June, ordered Knox to cancel everything King had done. Roosevelt did assent to King's proposal to create the post of Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Aviation (DCNO (Air)), but in

2961-577: A result, but the abuse, including shunning , continued in more subtle forms and Conyers finally resigned in October 1873. In 1874, the curriculum was altered to study naval topics in the final two years at the academy. In 1878, the academy was awarded a gold medal for academics at the Universal Exposition in Paris. In the late 19th century, Congress required the academy to teach a formal course in hygiene,

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3102-663: A series of captured Union ships that culminated in seizing the US Revenue Cutter Caleb Cushing in Portland, Maine. Lieutenant James Iredell Waddell , CSN, a former instructor at the US Naval Academy, commanded the CSS Shenandoah . The midshipmen and faculty returned to Annapolis in the summer of 1865, just after the war ended. Civil War hero Admiral David Dixon Porter became superintendent in 1865. He found

3243-526: A single wooden building containing 100 rooms, one company to a floor. They held dress parades every evening except Sunday. Students were termed "cadets", though sometimes "cadet midshipmen"; other appellations were used. Porter began organized athletics, usually intramural at the time. Antoine Joseph Corbesier , an immigrant from Belgium, was appointed to the position of Assistant Swordmaster in 1864, and then Swordmaster at USNA in October 1865. He coached Navy fencers in intercollegiate competition from 1896, when

3384-577: A son, Ernest Joseph King Jr. Mattie considered educated women to be vulgar. She took little interest in King's naval career, and confined her activities to her children and domestic affairs. King's next assignment was as a gunnery officer on the battleship USS  Alabama . King became a critic of shipboard organization, which was largely unchanged since the days of sail. He published his thoughts in Some Ideas About Organization on Board Ship in

3525-603: A special assignment: to improve the anti-aircraft defenses of the fleet. Experiments with radio-controlled drones making passes at ships in February 1939 had shown that they were very difficult to shoot down. Aircraft were flying faster and carrying bigger bombs, posing a greater threat to the fleet, which would soon be confirmed in combat. King looked over the plans for each type of ship and made recommendations as to what kind of guns could be installed, where they should be located, and what should be removed to make way for them. He prepared

3666-517: A storm hit and the submarine suddenly rose to the surface. After an attempt to tow it failed, King made the difficult decision to sink it again. Eventually the divers succeeded in raising it and getting it to the New York Navy Yard . In 1925, Rear Admiral William A. Moffett , Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics , asked King if he would consider a transfer to naval aviation . King was unable to accept

3807-412: A strong supporter of Halsey, was responsible for blocking subsequent efforts to promote Spruance to fleet admiral (although his promotion continued to be blocked after Vinson retired). Instead, Spruance's achievements were recognized by the unique honor of a Special Act of Congress awarding him full four-star admiral 's salary during the remainder of his life. Spruance expressed the following feelings over

3948-535: A student could qualify as a new pilot in about a month, weather permitting. All students wore life preservers. The control wheel of the Curtiss machines featured a "shift control" where the controls could be "thrown" between the student and instructor at any time. The Wright machine was delivered to Greenbury by August 1911, but was not yet configured with water gear. Navy flight training moved to NAS Pensacola , Florida, in January 1914. In 1912, Reina Mercedes , sunk at

4089-520: A submarine division, flying his commodore 's pennant from USS  S-20 . He never earned his Submarine Warfare insignia (dolphins), although he proposed and designed the now-familiar dolphin insignia. On 4 September 1923, he took over command of the Naval Submarine Base at New London . From September 1925 to July 1926, King directed the salvage of USS  S-51 , earning the first of his three Navy Distinguished Service Medals . The task

4230-807: A year, the family returned to Lorain, and King entered Lorain High School . He graduated as valedictorian in the Class of 1897; his commencement speech was titled "Uses of Adversity". The school was a small one; there were only thirteen classmates in his year. King secured an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland , from his local Congressman, Winfield Scott Kerr , after passing physical and written examinations in Mansfield, Ohio , ahead of thirty other applicants. He entered Annapolis as

4371-508: Is General of the Armies when Congress passed Pub. L.   94–479 in 1976, promoting George Washington to that rank and making him senior to all other grades of the Army, past or present. United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy ( USNA , Navy , or Annapolis ) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland . It was established on 10 October 1845 during

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4512-461: Is a current and authorized rank, no U.S. Navy officer holds it presently. Only four World War II era officers have ever held the rank: William D. Leahy , Ernest J. King , Chester W. Nimitz , and William Halsey Jr . Leahy, King, and Nimitz were promoted to the rank in December 1944, followed by Halsey in December 1945. While all four men effectively retired in the late 1940s, the rank of fleet admiral

4653-443: Is for life. The last active fleet admiral was Nimitz, who died in 1966. The Navy originally had an established precursor 5-star rank of Admiral of the Navy , that was superior to Admiral . The rank used the 1867 regulation Admiral insignia. This rank was established and given only to Admiral George Dewey , in recognition of his victory at Manila Bay in 1898. On March 2, 1899, Congress passed Pub. L.   55–378 approving

4794-475: Is traditional and habitual for us to be inadequately prepared. This is the combined result of a number of factors, the character of which is only indicated: democracy, which tends to make everyone believe that he knows it all; the preponderance (inherent in democracy) of people whose real interest is in their own welfare as individuals; the glorification of our own victories in war and the corresponding ignorance of our defeats (and disgraces) and of their basic causes;

4935-524: The United States Naval Institute Proceedings , which won a prize for best essay in 1909. "The writer fully realizes the possible opposition," he wrote, "for if there is anything more characteristic of the navy than its fighting ability, it is its inertia to change, or conservatism, or the clinging to things that are old because they are old." In addition to a gold medal, the prize came with $ 500 (equivalent to $ 17,000 in 2023) and

5076-551: The Battle of Santiago de Cuba , was raised and used as the "brig" ship for the academy. By 1912, the midshipmen were organized into a brigade , its current structure. The prior organization was named a regiment . In 1914, the Midshipmen Drum and Bugle corps was formed and by 1922 it went defunct. They were revived in 1926. The brigade and faculty tripled during WWI. The 3rd and 4th wings of Bancroft Hall were built. In 1918,

5217-588: The Bureau of Aeronautics . Following a period on the Navy's General Board , he became commander in chief of the Atlantic Fleet in February 1941. Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , King was appointed as COMINCH, and in March 1942, he succeeded Admiral Harold R. Stark as CNO, holding these two positions for the duration of the war. He also commanded the Tenth Fleet , which played an important role in

5358-751: The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS), which held its first meeting in Washington, D.C., on 23 January 1942. To parallel the British chiefs, the Americans formed the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), which held its first meeting on 9 February 1942. The Joint Chiefs of Staff initially consisted of Stark, King, General George C. Marshall , the Chief of Staff of the United States Army , and Lieutenant General Henry H. Arnold ,

5499-701: The Montana class while he was on the General Board on the grounds that they were too big to fit through the Panama Canal . Aircraft carriers were another matter; King strongly opposed Roosevelt's proposal in August 1942 to defer the Midway -class aircraft carriers on the grounds that they would consume too many resources and were unlikely to be completed until after the war. Eventually Roosevelt authorized them, but his forecast proved correct. However King gave way to Roosevelt on

5640-767: The Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island . He then became the navigator of the survey ship USS  Eagle , which conducted surveys of Cienfuegos Bay in Cuba. An eye injury resulted in his being sent to the Brooklyn Naval Hospital . When he recovered, he was ordered to report to the battleship USS  Illinois , which was berthed in Brooklyn . The Illinois was the flagship of Rear Admiral Arent S. Crowninshield , and King got to know Crowninshield's staff well. The staff offered him an assignment on

5781-638: The Naval War College separately. The Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) in Newport, Rhode Island, is the official preparatory school for the Naval Academy. The first nautical school for officers was conceived by Commodore Arthur Sinclair in 1819 while in command of the Norfolk Navy Yard. Due to his zeal and perseverance, the "Nautical School" was opened on board the frigate Guerriere on 3 December 1821 with between 40 and 50 midshipmen attached to

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5922-568: The Pacific Fleet on the same day. Legend has it that King said: "When they get into trouble, they call for the sons-of-bitches." John L. McCrea , Roosevelt's naval aide, asked King if he actually had said it. King replied that he had not, but would have if he had thought of it. The abbreviation CINCUS (pronounced "sink-us") seemed inappropriate after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , and on 12 March 1942 King officially changed it to COMINCH. Stark

6063-640: The Philippines campaign . It was noted that this would exacerbate the national labor shortage and adversely affect the munitions industry, and drastic measures might be required if the Army ran into more manpower difficulties, as indeed occurred. When war was declared on Germany, an attack on coastal shipping by U-boats was anticipated, as this was what had happened in World War I. On 12 December 1941, German U-boat commander, Vizeadmiral Karl Dönitz , ordered an attack, codenamed Operation Paukenschlag ("Roll of

6204-762: The SS ; Delphine , a luxury yacht formerly owned by the family of Horace Dodge , which King renamed USS Dauntless . King lived on board Dauntless , which spent most of the war at anchor at the Washington Navy Yard . When the American chiefs of staff, which included King and Stark, met with the British Chiefs of Staff Committee at the Arcadia Conference in Washington, D.C., from 24 December 1941 to 14 January 1942, they agreed to merge their organizations to form

6345-663: The Severn River and Chesapeake Bay in Anne Arundel County , 33 miles (53 km) east of Washington, D.C., and 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Baltimore . The entire campus, known colloquially as the Yard, is a National Historic Landmark and home to many historic sites, buildings, and monuments. It replaced Philadelphia Naval Asylum in Philadelphia that had served as the first United States Naval Academy from 1838 to 1845 when

6486-579: The Tripoli Monument was moved to the academy grounds. Later that year in August, the model of the USS Somers experiment was resurrected when USS  Constitution , then 60 years old, was recommissioned as a school ship for the fourth-class midshipmen after a conversion and refitting begun in 1857. She was anchored at the yard, and the plebes lived on board the ship to immediately introduce them to shipboard life and experiences. The American Civil War

6627-431: The USS  Constitution in April 1861, where the academy was set up in temporary facilities and opened in May. The Annapolis campus, meanwhile, was turned into a United States Army Hospital. The United States Navy was stressed by the situation – 24% of its officers resigned to join the Confederate States Navy , including 95 graduates and 59 midshipmen, along with many key leaders who influenced USNA's founding. As

6768-505: The aircraft carrier USS  Lexington —then one of the largest aircraft carriers in the world—which he commanded for the next two years. When not on duty, he enjoyed drinking, partying and socializing with his junior officers. He ignored complaints that some of his officers rented a secluded farmhouse where prohibition and blue laws were flouted. He enjoyed the company of women and had many affairs. Women avoided sitting next to him at dinner parties if they did not want to be groped under

6909-417: The great flu pandemic of 1918 infected about half the brigade (1,000 out of 2,000 men); ten midshipmen died. With the advent of the automobile and improved roads, the academy became a tourist attraction. At the 1920 summer Olympics men's 8+ rowing competition in Brussels, the Naval Academy rowing men's 8+ (The Wonder Crew) won the gold medal. US collegiate boats won the gold medal in the 8+ competition at

7050-442: The Air Force was created as a separate service as part of the National Defense Act of 1947. The insignia for a fleet admiral is composed of five silver stars in a pentagonal design. Worn on the service dress blue uniform sleeve was a gold stripe two inches wide surrounding the sleeve two inches from the cuff with four half-inch stripes placed at 1 ⁄ 4 inch intervals. The single gold five-pointed star, one ray down, worn above

7191-419: The Ancient Roman word plebeian ) enter the academy each summer for the rigorous Plebe Summer . About 1,000 midshipmen graduate and commission. Graduates are commissioned as either ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps, but a small number can also be cross-commissioned as officers in other U.S. services, and the services of allied nations. The United States Naval Academy has some of

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7332-401: The Annapolis class of 1902 were being sent home from the Asiatic Fleet , he sought and obtained an audience with Rear Admiral Charles J. Train . Train agreed that King was entitled to go home and arranged for him to travel on the former hospital ship USS  Solace , which departed on 27 June. On returning to the United States, King rejoined his fiancée, Martha Rankin ("Mattie") Egerton,

7473-402: The Army declared a blackout of coastal cities on 18 May. The Germans had broken the American and British codes and sometimes lay in wait. Meanwhile, the German Navy added an extra wheel to its Enigma machines in April and the Allies lost the ability to decrypt its signals for ten months. The first requirement of an effective anti-submarine campaign was anti-submarine escorts. In 1940, when he

7614-425: The Atlantic Fleet." He was promoted to commander on 1 July 1917 and captain on 21 September 1918. After the war King adopted his signature manner of wearing his uniform with a breast-pocket handkerchief below his ribbons. Officers serving alongside the Royal Navy did this in emulation of the British Admiral David Beatty , the commander of the British Grand Fleet . King was the last to continue this tradition. After

7755-418: The Atlantic. On 17 December 1940, King raised his flag as Commander, Patrol Force (as the Atlantic Squadron had been renamed on 1 November) on the battleship USS  Texas in Norfolk, Virginia . When he examined the war plan in the safe, he found it was for a war with Mexico. His first order, issued three days later, was to place the Patrol Force on a war footing. He astonished subordinates by stating that

7896-465: The Bureau of Ships protested. By March 1944, it was estimated that the Navy would reach its manpower ceiling by August, and would require 340,000 more sailors by the end of the year for ships under construction, which included nine Essex -class aircraft carriers. On 2 July, King asked the Joint Chiefs to approve an increase of 390,000 men. The Army did not object, as it was more than 300,000 over its own personnel ceiling, and needed assault shipping for

8037-506: The CNO, Admiral William H. Standley , who sought to assert the power of the CNO over the bureau chiefs, was more tempestuous. With the help of Leahy and Swanson, King managed to block Standley's proposals. King appeared before a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee , chaired by Congressman William A. Ayres , where he was questioned about the Bureau of Aeronautics's contractual arrangements with Pratt and Whitney . Although warned by his staff that an forthright answer could strain

8178-411: The CNO. Knox died from a heart attack on 28 April 1944, and Roosevelt nominated Forrestal as his replacement. As Under Secretary of the Navy, Forrestal was familiar with naval issues, and he had a good track record managing the navy's procurement program. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate, but King and Forrestal clashed. The Navy had always thought in terms of ships, but more were on order than

8319-405: The Chief of the United States Army Air Corps . In his role as a member of the CCS and JCS, King became engaged in the formulation of grand strategy , which came to occupy the majority of his time. Roosevelt's Executive Order 8984 made COMINCH the commander of the operational forces of the navy, and "directly responsible, under the general direction of the Secretary of the Navy, to the President of

8460-541: The Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, Rear Admiral Chester W. Nimitz , and offered King the command of the Atlantic Squadron . Nimitz explained that while King had been a vice admiral in his last seagoing command, he would only be a rear admiral for this one. King replied that he did not care, and accepted the position. However, his assumption of command was delayed for a month by a hernia operation, and then several more weeks while he accompanied Edison's successor, Frank Knox , on another inspection tour, this time of bases in

8601-476: The Confederate States Navy. Lieutenant William Harwar Parker , CSN, class of 1848, and instructor at USNA, joined the Virginia State Navy , and then went on to become the superintendent of the Confederate States Naval Academy . Lieutenant Charles "Savez" Read may have been "anchor man" (graduated last) in the class of 1860, but his later service to the Confederate States Navy included defending New Orleans, service on CSS Arkansas and CSS Florida , and command of

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8742-437: The Germans withdrew their submarines from the western Atlantic. This emboldened Roosevelt to take further steps. He declared a National Emergency on 27 May. On 19 July, King issued orders creating Task Force 1, with the mission of escorting convoys to Iceland, which had been occupied by the U.S. Marines . Nominally, the convoys were American, but ships of any nationality were free to join. From 1 September, convoys were escorted to

8883-480: The Naval Academy curriculum on 30 October 1930. In 1930, the class of 1891 presented a bronze replica of the figurehead of Tamanend to replace the deteriorating wooden figurehead that had been prominently displayed on campus. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law an act of Congress (Public Law 73–21, 48 Stat. 73) on 25 May 1933 providing for the Bachelor of Science degree for Naval, Military, and Coast Guard Academies. Four years later, Congress authorized

9024-419: The Naval Academy formed in Annapolis. Candidates for admission generally must apply directly to the academy and apply separately for a nomination, usually from a member of Congress . Students are officers-in-training with the rank of midshipman . Tuition for midshipmen is fully funded by the Navy in exchange for an active duty service obligation upon graduation. Approximately 1,200 "plebes" (an abbreviation of

9165-427: The Naval Academy joined the Intercollegiate Fencing Association, until 1914, when he retired. By special act of Congress, he was commissioned a 1st lieutenant in the Marine Corps on 4 March 1914. He died on 26 March 1915 and is buried on Hospital Point. In 1867, indoor plumbing and water was supplied to the family quarters. In 1868, the figurehead of Tamanend from USS  Delaware (later nicknamed " Tecumseh ")

9306-450: The Navy George Bancroft and Captain David Forman. The campus was established at Annapolis on the grounds of the former U.S. Army post Fort Severn . The school opened with 50 midshipman students and seven professors. The decision to establish an academy on land may have been in part a result of the Somers Affair, an alleged mutiny involving the Secretary of War's son that resulted in his execution at sea. Commodore Matthew Perry had

9447-412: The Navy Forrestal to implement the academic changes suggested by the Holloway Board, which had recommended that the Naval Academy curriculum move away from rote recitation and continuous crams "to give a stronger emphasis to basic and general education, rendering more fundamental and less detailed instruction in strictly naval material and techniques." An accelerated course was given to midshipmen during

9588-475: The Navy had personnel to crew them. The fleet grew faster than expected because plans assumed losses on the scale of 1942, but in fact they were much fewer. With the Navy now dominated by aviators and submariners, the easiest target for ship cancellations were the battleships. In May 1942, King had indefinitely deferred construction of five battleships, including all the Montana class , in favor of more aircraft carriers and cruisers. King had opposed construction of

9729-450: The Navy officers on flight duty at Hammondsport , New York, and Dayton , Ohio, were ordered to report for duty at the Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy, "in connection with the test of gasoline motors and other experimental work in the development of aviation, including instruction at the aviation school" being set up on Greenbury Point, Annapolis. The "aerodrome" at Greenbury Point sat on 1000 square feet of land and consisted of

9870-481: The Navy's aircraft carriers, and Commander, Aircraft, Base Force, a rear admiral who commanded the seaplane squadrons. King hoped to get the former assignment, but this was opposed by Standley, and at the conclusion of his term as bureau chief in 1936, King became Commander, Aircraft, Base Force, at Naval Air Station North Island , California. He survived the crash of his Douglas XP3D transport on 8 February 1937. Leahy succeeded Standley as CNO on 1 January 1937. King

10011-418: The Neutrality Acts in November, allowing merchant ships to be armed and to deliver goods to British ports. With the United States declaration of war on Germany on 11 December, the Atlantic Fleet was officially at war. On 20 December, King became CINCUS. Ten days later he hoisted his flag on USS  Vixen and was succeeded as CINCLANT by Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll . Nimitz became the Commander in Chief of

10152-530: The Pacific Ocean area. Halsey received his promotion based on his successes. George C. Marshall was promoted to General of the Army on December 16, 1944; General MacArthur was promoted on December 18, 1944; General Eisenhower was promoted on December 20, 1944, and General Arnold was promoted on December 21, 1944. Arnold would later be laterally promoted to General of the Air Force on May 7, 1949, after

10293-720: The Senate, may award a fifth star to Admirals. In the 1990s, there were proposals in Department of Defense academic circles to bestow a five-star rank on the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Military leaders in the Global War on Terrorism can be promoted to a five-star rank. The Navy does not have an established rank senior to fleet admiral. The only officially recognized United States military rank senior to fleet admiral

10434-644: The Severn River Naval Command from 1941 to 1962. A total of 3,319 graduates were commissioned during World War II. Dr. Chris Lambertsen held the first closed-circuit oxygen SCUBA course in the United States for the Office of Strategic Services maritime unit at the academy on 17 May 1943. In 1945, A Department of Aviation was established. That year a vice admiral, Aubrey W. Fitch , became superintendent. The naval academy celebrated its centennial. During

10575-468: The U-boats, and that they could be acquired at the last minute, so there was no need to interfere with the capital-ship building program. While acknowledging that small craft like submarine chasers had their uses, King pointed out that escort duty required vessels that could cope with rough weather and had sufficient crewmen to mount round-the-clock watches . Fleet admiral (United States) Although it

10716-477: The United States Navy's operations, planning, and administration and was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Combined Chiefs of Staff . King graduated fourth in the United States Naval Academy class of 1901. He received his first command in 1914, of the destroyer USS  Terry in the occupation of Veracruz . During World War I , he served on the staff of Vice Admiral Henry T. Mayo ,

10857-410: The United States was already at war with Germany. In January 1941 King issued Atlantic Fleet directive CINCLANT Serial 053 , encouraging officers to delegate and avoid micromanagement, which is still cited widely in today's armed forces. The Patrol Force was designated the Atlantic Fleet on 1 February 1941. King was promoted to admiral and became the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANT). Formerly

10998-587: The United States." There was considerable overlap between the roles of COMINCH and CNO, and on Stark's advice, Roosevelt combined the duties of the two with Executive Order 9096. On 26 March, King succeeded Stark as CNO, becoming the only officer to hold this combined command. On the same date, Horne became the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Although King was both COMINCH and CNO, the two offices remained separate and distinct. Stark became Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe . Edwards, Cooke and Horne remained with King for

11139-541: The base was dangerously vulnerable to aerial attack, although he was taken no more seriously until 7 December 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the base . King hoped to be appointed CNO or Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (CINCUS), but on 1 July 1939, he reverted to his permanent rank of rear admiral and was posted to the General Board , an elephants' graveyard where senior officers spent

11280-518: The century of its existence, roughly 18,563 midshipmen had graduated, including the class of 1946. The academy was accredited in 1947 by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education . On January 15, 1947, James L. Holloway became the 35th superintendent of the United States Naval Academy , succeeding Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch . At 48, Holloway was the youngest superintendent in fifty years, having been handpicked by Secretary of

11421-517: The class of 1908. The academy built a modern hospital in 1907, the fourth in sequence, on what is today called "Hospital Point." In 1910, the academy established its own dairy farm. In 1913, the Navy purchased the Howard's Adventure estate in nearby Gambrills, Maryland to expand their dairy operations. The farm is also home to Bill the Goat . The Naval Academy dairy was closed in 1998. On 23 August 1911,

11562-450: The class were ensigns or lieutenants. King received his wings as Naval Aviator No. 3368 on 26 May 1927 and resumed command of Wright . Between 1926 and 1936 King flew an average of 150 hours annually. For a time, he frequently flew solo, flying to Annapolis for weekend visits with his family, but his solo flying was eliminated by a naval regulation prohibiting them for aviators aged 50 or over. King commanded Wright until 1929, except for

11703-523: The commander in chief of the Atlantic Fleet . After the war, King was the head of the Naval Postgraduate School and commanded submarine divisions . He directed the salvage of the submarine USS  S-51 , earning the first of his three Navy Distinguished Service Medals , and later that of the USS  S-4 . He qualified as a naval aviator in 1927, and was captain of the aircraft carrier USS  Lexington . He then served as Chief of

11844-428: The creation of the rank. The Senate confirmed Dewey's promotion to that rank on March 14, 1903, and he was officially promoted to Admiral of the Navy on March 24, 1903, with a retroactive date-of-rank of March 2, 1899. The congressional act also stipulated that upon Dewey's death, the rank would cease to exist. Dewey died on January 16, 1917, ending the Navy's use of the rank. A proper five-star rank of fleet admiral

11985-628: The cruiser USS  Augusta once it had completed an overhaul. So it was that in August it was the Augusta that took Roosevelt to the Atlantic Conference , where King and British Admiral Sir Percy Noble worked out the details for the United States Navy escorting convoys halfway across the Atlantic. Rather than risk a conflict with the United States on the eve of the invasion of the Soviet Union ,

12126-840: The cruiser USS  Cincinnati , which was headed overseas, bound for the Far East via the Suez Canal . King was promoted to ensign on 7 June 1903, having taken his examination while the Cincinnati was in Europe. The Cincinnati spent several weeks at anchor in Manila Bay , where it conducted target practice. In February 1904 it sailed to Korea, where the Russo-Japanese War had broken out. It remained in Korean waters until October, when it went to China. It

12267-543: The drums" or "drumbeat"). The following day, King issued a warning to all Atlantic commands of an impending German U-boat attack. This did not occur immediately, because the U-boats had been withdrawn from the Western Atlantic and priority was accorded to operations in the Mediterranean. Some use was made of this respite to lay a defensive naval minefield and erect protective harbor anti-submarine nets and booms . Only

12408-502: The duration of the war, but more junior officers were brought in for periods of up to a year and then returned to sea duty. When King turned 64 on 23 November 1942, King wrote Roosevelt to say he had reached mandatory retirement age. Roosevelt replied with a note saying: "So what, old top? I may send you a birthday present." (The present was a framed photograph.) Stark left the JCS in March 1942 when King succeeded him as CNO, reducing its membership to three until July 1942. Marshall advocated

12549-621: The fight against the German U-boats in the Second Battle of the Atlantic . He participated in the top-level Allied World War II conferences , and took the lead in formulating the strategy of the Pacific War . In December 1944, he became the second admiral to be promoted to the new rank of fleet admiral. He left active duty in December 1945 and died in Kittery, Maine , in 1956. Ernest Joseph King

12690-702: The first superintendent of the United States Naval Observatory , Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury , who advocated for creating the United States Naval Academy, also resigned his commission. The first superintendent, Admiral Franklin Buchanan , joined the Confederate States Navy as its first and primary admiral. Captain Sidney Smith Lee , the second commandant of midshipmen, and older brother of Robert E. Lee, left Federal service in 1861 for

12831-476: The first three appointments was carefully planned, such that a clear order of seniority and a near-equivalence between the services was established for the Generals of the Army promoted at the same time. Admiral Leahy acted as an executive Chief of Staff over Admiral King and General Marshall and briefed President Franklin D. Roosevelt . King coordinated all naval operations. Nimitz commanded all naval operations in

12972-529: The highest naval cadet ranking at that time. He graduated in June 1901, ranked fourth in his class of sixty-seven. The graduation address was given by the Vice President of the United States , Theodore Roosevelt , who handed out the diplomas. Graduates like King who went into the Navy had to serve for two years at sea before being commissioned as ensigns . King took a short course in torpedo design and operation at

13113-426: The highest-paid graduates in the country according to starting salary. The academic program grants a Bachelor of Science degree with a curriculum that grades midshipmen's performance upon a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics. Midshipmen are required to adhere to the academy's Honor Concept . The Navy operates the Naval Postgraduate School and

13254-422: The inability of the average individual (the man in the street) to understand the cause and effect not only in foreign but domestic affairs, as well as his lack of interest in such matters. Added to these elements is the manner in which our representative (republican) form of government has developed as to put a premium on mediocrity and to emphasize the defects of the electorate already mentioned. Aware that Moffett

13395-475: The infrastructure at Annapolis a shambles, the result of ill military use during the War. Porter attempted to restore the facilities. He concentrated on recruiting naval officers as opposed to civilians, a change of philosophy. He recruited teachers Stephen B. Luce, future admirals Winfield Scott Schley , George Dewey , and William T. Sampson . The midshipman battalion consisted of four companies . These were bunked in

13536-455: The issue of escort carriers ; while he believed that nothing smaller than the Essex -class aircraft carrier would be useful in the Pacific war, he accepted Roosevelt's argument that it was important to get new aircraft carriers in commission quickly. In 1943, with the war against the U-boats being won, King canceled 200 of the 1,000 destroyer escorts on order, but backed off canceling another 200 when

13677-437: The issue: So far as my getting five star rank is concerned, if I could have had it along with Bill Halsey, that would have been fine; but, if I had received it instead of Bill Halsey, I would have been very unhappy over it. The first fleet admiral to leave active duty was Ernest King who retired immediately after the conclusion of World War II. Chester Nimitz and William Halsey both retired two years later while William Leahy

13818-412: The life of Edison's father starring Spencer Tracy . "I understand", Walsh told King, referring to a popular myth, "that you shave with a blowtorch." King replied that this was an exaggeration. Walsh liked the story so much he told everyone he met, and eventually had Tiffany & Co. make a scale model of a blowtorch, which he presented to King. When they returned to Washington, D.C., Edison gave King

13959-494: The long-range Type IX and some Type VII submarines could reach the Western Atlantic, so only six to eight U-boats were on station of the East coast between January and June 1942. The carnage began on 12 January, when a British steamer was sunk 300 nautical miles (560 km; 350 mi) off Cape Cod by U-123 . By the end of the month, U-boats had sunk thirteen ships totaling 95,000 gross register tons (270,000  m ). Few of

14100-463: The merchant ships were armed and those that were, were no match for the U-boats. Each U-boat carried fourteen torpedoes , including some of the new electric model , which left no air bubbles in its wake, and had a deck gun capable of sinking many merchant ships. There was no seaboard blackout, as this was a politically sensitive issue—coastal cities resisted, citing the loss of tourism revenue. Waterfront lights and signs switched off on 18 April 1942, and

14241-536: The merits of the proposal. On 21 July 1942, Leahy was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy and became the fourth member of the JCS. As the senior officer, Leahy chaired its meetings, but he did not exercise any command authority. King and Marshall retained their direct access to the President. King had thirty-two official meetings with Roosevelt at the White House in 1942, but only eight in 1943, nine in 1944 and just one in 1945. Roosevelt

14382-487: The modern era since 1941. The academy's Latin motto is Ex Scientia Tridens , which means 'Through Knowledge, Sea Power'. It appears on a design devised by naval academy graduate (1867) Park Benjamin, Jr. It was adopted by the Navy Department in 1898 due to the efforts of another graduate (also 1867) and collaborator, Jacob W. Miller. The institution was founded as the Naval School on 10 October 1845 by Secretary of

14523-612: The new Secretary of the Navy , recommended King, having been impressed by work in the salvage of the S-51 and S-4 . King became Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, and was promoted to rear admiral on 26 April 1933. As bureau chief, King worked closely with Leahy, who was now the chief of the Bureau of Navigation , to increase the number of naval aviators. Together they established the Aviation Cadet Training Program to recruit college graduates as aviators. His relationship with

14664-539: The next seven Olympics – a standing record as of 2019 for consecutive gold medal wins by any nation in a particular sport. The Naval Academy football team played the University of Washington in the Rose Bowl tying 14–14. In 1925, the second-class ring dance was started. In 1925, the Midshipmen Drum and Bugle Corps was formally reestablished. In 1926, " Navy Blue and Gold ", composed by organist and choirmaster J. W. Crosley,

14805-468: The offer at that time due to the salvage of S-51 , and he wanted command of a cruiser, which Leahy was unable to offer. King then accepted Moffett's offer, although he still hoped for a cruiser. He assumed command of the aircraft tender USS  Wright , with additional duties as senior aide on the staff of Commander, Air Squadrons, Atlantic Fleet. That year, the United States Congress passed

14946-455: The officer in charge of discipline at Bancroft Hall . King returned to sea duty in 1909, as flag secretary to Rear Admiral Hugo Osterhaus . After a year, Osterhaus was transferred to shore duty, and King joined the engineering department of the battleship USS  New Hampshire . He soon became the engineering officer. After a year on New Hampshire , Osterhaus returned to sea duty and King became his flag secretary once more. Fellow officers on

15087-437: The only course required by Congress of any military academy. In 1890, Navy adopted the goat mascot after winning its first football game with Army. The Spanish–American War of 1898 greatly increased the academy's importance and the campus was almost wholly rebuilt and much enlarged between 1899 and 1906. The ground on which most of the academy sat was dredged from the surrounding bodies of water and consisted of silt. This

15228-461: The presence of a committee of the Aero Club of America, a pilot candidate had to fly five figure eights around two flags buoyed 1500 feet apart then land within 150 feet of an established mark. This course had to be completed twice. The test also required the prospective aviator to climb to a minimum altitude of 150 ft (officially 50 meters). It was estimated by CAPT Washington Irving Chambers that

15369-549: The promotion of Omar Bradley to the five-star rank of General of the Army in 1950 while serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff so that he would be of the same rank as General of the Army Douglas MacArthur , the theater commander in Korea, there has been no new legislation authorizing the use of the rank of fleet admiral since 1946. It was held during and after World War II by the following officers: The timing of

15510-426: The relationship with the sole supplier of certain engines the Navy needed, King confirmed to the committee that Pratt and Whitney was making profits of up to 45 percent. As a result, the 1934 Vinson–Trammell Act contained a provision limiting profits on government aviation contracts to 10 percent. In 1936, there were only two seagoing aviation flag billets: Commander, Aircraft, Battle Force, a vice admiral who commanded

15651-552: The school's lacrosse team to play a visiting team from Harvard University because the Harvard team included an African-American player. Harvard's athletic director ordered the player home and the game was played on 4 April, as scheduled, which Navy won 12–0. Georgia Tech President and Colonel Dr. Blake R Van Leer would later be appointed by President Harry S. Truman to the Visitor Board and assist with its curriculum. Dr. Van Leer

15792-442: The selection of the color company and "color girl." In the 1870s, cuts in the military budget resulted in graduating much smaller classes. In 1872, 25 graduated. Eight of these made the Navy a career. The third class physically hazed the fourth class so ruthlessly that Congress passed an anti-hazing law in 1874. Hazing continued in more stealthy forms. Many firsts for minorities occurred during this period. In 1877, Kiro Kunitomo,

15933-506: The ship. The curriculum was diversified with naval tactics, astronomy, geography, French, history, English grammar, and international relations. The school operated until 1828, when USS Guerriere was ordered to duty in the Pacific. It was from that small start that the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis grew. The history of the academy can be divided into four eras: the use of original Fort Severn from 1845 to 1861, "Porter's Academy" between 1865 and 1903, " Flagg Academy" from 1903 to 1941, and

16074-701: The staff included Dudley Knox as fleet gunnery officer and Harry E. Yarnell as fleet engineering officer. King returned to shore duty at Annapolis in May 1912 as executive officer of the Naval Engineering Experiment Station. While there, he served as the secretary-treasurer of the Naval Institute, editing and publishing papers in the Proceedings . He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 July 1913. When war with Mexico threatened in 1913, King went to Washington, D.C., to lobby for command of

16215-564: The staff of Vice Admiral Henry T. Mayo , the Commander in Chief , of the Atlantic Fleet. After the United States entered World War I , King went to the UK as part of Mayo's staff. He was a frequent visitor to the Royal Navy and occasionally saw action as an observer on board British ships. He was awarded the Navy Cross "for distinguished service in the line of his profession as assistant chief of staff of

16356-436: The superintendent to award a Bachelor of Science degree to all living graduates. Reserve officer training was re-established in anticipation of World War II in 1941. In 1939, the first Yard patrol boat arrived. In 1940, the academy stopped using Reina Mercedes as a brig for disciplining midshipmen, and restricted them to Bancroft Hall, instead. In April 1941, superintendent Rear Admiral Russell Willson refused to allow

16497-545: The table. King once told a friend: "You ought to be very suspicious of anyone who won't take a drink or doesn't like women." In 1932, King attended the Naval War College . In a war college thesis entitled "The Influence of National Policy on Strategy", King identified Great Britain and Japan as the United States's most likely adversaries. He expounded on the theory that America's weakness was representative democracy : Historically, despite Washington's (and others') experienced and cogent advice to make due preparations for war, it

16638-472: The tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy . The Naval Academy is the second oldest of the five U.S. service academies and it educates midshipmen for service in the officer corps of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps . It is part of the Naval University System . The 338-acre (137 ha) campus is located on the former grounds of Fort Severn at the confluence of

16779-426: The three consecutive years at sea. The first class of naval academy students graduated on 10 June 1854. They were considered as passed midshipmen until 1912, when graduates were first sworn in as officers. In 1850, Edward Seager joined the faculty as the first instructor of drawing, and he also served as the first fencing instructor. He held the position of teacher of the art of defence from 1851 to 1859. In 1860,

16920-612: The time remaining before retirement. A series of extraordinary events would alter this outcome. In March, April and May 1940, King accompanied the Secretary of the Navy, Charles Edison , Edison's naval aide, Captain Morton L. Deyo , and Edison's friend Arthur Walsh on a six-week tour of naval bases in the Pacific. En route they stopped in Hollywood to preview Edison, the Man , a biographical film about

17061-478: The top stripe was not part of the rank, but indicated the wearer to be a line officer. Another contender to receive the rank of fleet admiral was Admiral Raymond A. Spruance ; the choice between him and Halsey was an issue that occupied several months of deliberation, before Admiral King finally chose Halsey. Purportedly U.S. Representative Carl Vinson , chairman of the House Armed Services committee and

17202-679: The war ended in November 1918, King became head of the Naval Postgraduate School in Annapolis. He bought a house there, where his family lived from then on. With Captains Dudley Knox and William S. Pye , King prepared a report on naval training that recommended changes to naval training and career paths, which gained wide circulation when he published it in the Proceedings . Most of the report's recommendations were accepted and eventually became policy. In 1921, King heard that Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson , an officer whose stance on naval education he disliked,

17343-410: Was a demanding one: S-51 lay on the bottom with a large gash on the side in 130 feet (40 m) of water near Block Island , and navy salvage divers were not accustomed to working below 90 feet (27 m). The submarine was raised by sealing compartments and forcing the water out of them with compressed air. Eight pontoon floats were added to make it buoyant again. Just as they were ready to raise it,

17484-464: Was a member of the General Board, King had recommended copying the 327-foot (100 m) Treasury-class cutter as an anti-submarine escort. As commander-in-chief of the Atlantic Fleet he had pressed Stark to secure such craft, but Stark replied that the President did not approve. Roosevelt, who had been involved in the development of the submarine chaser , a much smaller vessel, during World War I, believed that small craft would be sufficient to deal with

17625-436: Was adopted when the school was reorganized in 1850 and placed under the supervision of the chief of the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography. Under the immediate charge of the superintendent, the course of study was extended to seven years with the first two and the last two to be spent at the school and the intervening three years at sea. The four years of study were made consecutive in 1851 and practice cruises were substituted for

17766-545: Was already a member to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization who had a focus to work against racism through influential statements on race starting with a declaration of anthropologists. In 1941, the 5th and 6th wings of Bancroft Hall were completed. Landfill was made outboard of the hospital to create a sports field. Fill was made on the north side of the Severn to create an area for seaplanes. The academy and its support facilities became part of

17907-517: Was an appearance before the selection board, which drew attention to his record of punishments for drinking and insubordination, before congratulating King on his promotion, which became effective on 7 June 1906. Duty afloat alternated with duty ashore, so King's next assignment was at Annapolis, where he taught ordnance, gunnery and seamanship. This posting reunited him with Mattie, who had been living with her family in Baltimore. After two years he became

18048-583: Was back in Manila for more target practice in February and March 1905 before returning to China. In June 1906, it escorted the Russian cruisers Oleg , Aurora and Zhemchug , survivors of the Battle of Tsushima , into Manila Bay, where they were interned. Bouts of heavy drinking led to King being put under hatches , and a forthright and arrogant attitude bordering on insubordination led to adverse comments in his fitness reports. When he heard heard that members of

18189-608: Was born in Lorain, Ohio , on 23 November 1878, the second child of James Clydesdale King, a Scottish immigrant from Bridge of Weir , Renfrewshire , and his wife Elizabeth (Bessie) née Keam, an immigrant from Plymouth , England. His father initially worked as a bridge builder, but moved to Lorain, where he worked in a railway repair shop. He had an older brother who died in infancy, two younger brothers and two younger sisters: Maude (who died aged seven), Mildred, Norman and Percy. The family moved to Uhrichsville, Ohio , when his father took

18330-421: Was created in 1944 in order to give United States military officers comparable rank to five-star officers of allied nations. The rank of fleet admiral was created by an Act of Congress for four officers to hold on a temporary basis under Pub.L. 78-482 on December 14, 1944. The rank was made permanent for the four individual holders by Pub. L.   79–333 on March 23, 1946. Although Congress authorized

18471-548: Was disruptive to the Naval Academy. Southern sympathy ran high in Maryland. Although riots broke out, Maryland did not declare secession. The United States government was planning to move the school, when the sudden outbreak of hostilities forced a quick departure. Almost immediately the three upper classes were detached and ordered to sea, and the remaining elements of the academy were transported to Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island by

18612-600: Was due to retire in mid-1933, King lobbied for his job. In this he was aided by Winder R. Harris , the managing editor of The Virginian-Pilot newspaper, and Senator Harry F. Byrd , who wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his behalf. The position became available earlier than expected after Moffett died in the crash of the airship USS  Akron on 4 April 1933. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral William V. Pratt , listed King as his fourth choice, after Rear Admirals Joseph M. Reeves , Harry E. Yarnell and John Halligan Jr. , but Claude A. Swanson ,

18753-407: Was erected in the yard. Class rings were first issued in 1869. Weekly dances were held. Wags called the school "Porter's Dancing Academy." President U.S. Grant distributed diplomas to the class of 1869. Porter ensured continued room for expansion by overseeing the purchase of 113 acres (46 ha) across College Creek, later known as Hospital Point. In 1871, the color competition began, along with

18894-539: Was first sung in public. It became a tradition to sing this alma mater song at the end of student and alumni gatherings such as pep rallies and football games, and on graduation day. In 1926, Navy won the national collegiate football championship title. In the fall of 1929, the Secretary of the Navy gave his approval for graduates to compete for Rhodes Scholarships . Six graduates were selected for that honor that same year. The Association of American Universities accredited

19035-538: Was not above micromanaging the navy. For example, in early 1942 he sent explicit instructions to Admiral Thomas C. Hart , the commander of the Asiatic Fleet , detailing how he wanted surveillance patrols run. Roosevelt granted Marshall broad authority to reorganize the War Department , but King's authority was more constrained. King, acting on a suggestion from Roosevelt that he "streamline" the Navy Department, ordered

19176-401: Was promoted to vice admiral on 29 January 1938 on becoming Commander, Aircraft, Battle Force – at the time one of only three vice admiral billets in the U.S. Navy. He flew his flag on the aircraft carrier USS  Saratoga . Among his accomplishments was to corroborate Yarnell's 1932 war game findings in 1938 by staging his own successful simulated naval air raid on Pearl Harbor , showing that

19317-576: Was regarded as boring and was avoided by ambitious officers. After a year, King again approached Leahy about securing command of a destroyer division or flotilla and again was told that nothing was available. Leahy then suggested that if King was interested in submarines , he could offer him command of a submarine division. King accepted. King attended a short training course at the Submarine School in New London, Connecticut , before taking command of

19458-751: Was reluctant to part with Ingersoll as his chief of staff, but King insisted that he was needed as CINCLANT. He offered Rear Admiral Russell Willson , the Superintendent of the Naval Academy, and Rear Admiral Frederick J. Horne , from the General Board, as replacements. Stark chose Horne, and King then took Willson as his own chief of staff. Rear Admiral Richard S. Edwards , who had served King as Commander, Submarines, Atlantic Fleet, became his deputy chief of staff. For assistant chiefs of staff, King selected Rear Admirals Richmond K. Turner and Willis A. Lee . King did not get along with Willson; their personalities were too different, and later admitted that he had made

19599-449: Was the last fleet admiral to leave active duty in 1949. According to Public Law 78-482, fleet admirals on active duty receive the same pay as a Rear Admiral, Upper Half (two star) plus a $ 5,000 personal allowance, and upon retirement were to receive 75% of their active duty pay. When Public Law 79-333 made the rank permanent for Leahy, King, Nimitz, and Halsey, it also provided for full pay and allowances once those officers retired. As with

19740-506: Was to become the Superintendent of the Naval Academy . King approached Captain William D. Leahy about an early return to sea duty. Leahy told him he was too junior for a seagoing captain's command, and that nothing was available. After some discussion, King eventually accepted command of USS  Bridge , a stores ship . Although auxiliaries like Bridge served a vital role, such a command

19881-464: Was too fragile for the newer heavy stone buildings. Pilings were sunk from 100 feet (30 m) to 400 feet (120 m) deep. Some wooden with iron caps; modern ones of steel. Today's campus dates from that era. In 1905, Isherwood Hall, containing the Department of Marine Engineering, was constructed. Prior to that era, about 43 men entered annually. There were 114 joining the class of 1905, 201 with

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