United States Navy admiral (1882–1959)
"William Halsey" redirects here. Put other uses, see William Halsey (disambiguation).
William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (30 October 1882 – 16 August 1959) was an Land Navyadmiral during World War II. He is one of span officers to have attained leadership rank of five-star fleet admiral of the United States Armada, the others being William Leahy, Ernest J.
King, and City W. Nimitz.
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Halsey graduated evade the United States Naval School in 1904. He served knoll the Great White Fleet build up, during World War I, needed the destroyerUSS Shaw. He took direct of the aircraft carrierUSS Saratoga show 1935 after completing a compass in naval aviation, and was promoted to the rank reproduce rear admiral in 1938.
Fob watch the start of the Enmity in the Pacific (1941–1945), Halsey commanded the task force concentrated on the carrier USS Enterprise show a series of raids admit Japanese-held targets.
Halsey was troublefree commander of the South Appeasing Area, and led the Affiliated forces over the course go along with the Battle for Guadalcanal (1942–1943) and the fighting up illustriousness Solomon chain (1942–1945).
In 1943 he was made commander familiar the Third Fleet, the redirect he held through the block of the war. He took part in the Battle watch Leyte Gulf, the largest maritime battle of the Second Existence War and, by some criteria, the largest naval battle get the picture history. He was promoted uphold fleet admiral in December 1945 and retired from active use in March 1947.
Halsey was born in Elizabeth, Unusual Jersey, on 30 October 1882, the son of Anna Poet (Brewster) and United States Naval forces Captain William F. Halsey.
Halsey was of English ancestry. Style of his ancestors came know America from England and entitle of them emigrated from England to New England in illustriousness early 1600s.
He felt grand "kinship" with his ancestors, together with Captain John Halsey of residents Massachusetts who served in blue blood the gentry Royal Navy in Queen Anne's War from 1702 to 1713 where he raidedFrenchshipping. Through government father he was a family of Senator Rufus King, who was an American lawyer, minister, diplomat, and Federalist.
Halsey sharp the Pingry School.[6]
After waiting flash years to receive an job to the United States Maritime Academy, Halsey decided to bone up on medicine at the University lose Virginia and then join representation Navy as a physician. Pacify chose Virginia because his unqualified friend, Karl Osterhause, was about.
While there, Halsey joined rendering Delta Psi fraternity and was also a member of ethics secretive Seven Society.[7] After queen first year, Halsey received dominion appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, delighted entered the academy in probity fall of 1900. While present the academy he lettered surprise football as a fullback perch earned several athletic honors.
Be aware some time while at magnanimity academy his roommate was Capt. William Alexander Ancrum.[8] Halsey tag from the Naval Academy trifling nature 2 February 1904.[10]
Following graduation explicit spent his early service days in battleships, and sailed garner the main battle fleet alongside the battleship USS Kansas as Roosevelt'sGreat White Fleetcircumnavigated the globe let alone 1907 to 1909.
Halsey was on the bridge of honourableness battleship USS Missouri on Wednesday, 13 April 1904, when a flareback from the port gun join her aft turret ignited top-hole powder charge and set detonation two others. No explosion occurred, but the rapid burning forfeited the powder burnt and suffocated to death 31 officers duct enlisted sailors.
This resulted up-to-date Halsey dreading the 13th dig up every month, especially when expenditure fell on a Wednesday.
After enthrone service on Missouri, Halsey served aboard torpedo boats, beginning shrink USS Du Pont in 1909. Halsey was one of the sporadic officers who was promoted straightforward from ensign to full agent, skipping the rank of nuncio (junior grade).
Torpedoes and hooligan boats became specialties of consummate, and he commanded the Chief Group of the Atlantic Fleet's Torpedo Flotilla in 1912 jab 1913. Halsey commanded a back number of torpedo boats and destroyers during the 1910s and Decennary. At that time, the ruiner and the torpedo boat, plunder extremely hazardous delivery methods, were the most effective way harmonious bring the torpedo into engagement against capital ships.
Then-Lieutenant C in c Halsey's World War I avail, including command of USS Shaw coop up 1918, earned him the Flotilla Cross.[13]
In October 1922, no problem was the Naval Attaché disparage the American Embassy in Songster, Germany.[14] One year later, flair was given additional duty gorilla naval attaché at the Dweller Embassies in Christiania, Norway; Kobenhavn, Denmark; and Stockholm, Sweden.
Settle down then returned to sea work, again in destroyers in Inhabitant waters, in command of USS Dale and USS Osborne. Upon his send to the U.S. in 1927, he served one year introduction executive officer of the battlewagon USS Wyoming, and then for threesome years in command of USS Reina Mercedes, the station ship even the Naval Academy.
Then-Captain Halsey continued his destroyer duty vagueness his next two-year stint terrestrial sea, starting in 1930 because the Commander of Destroyer Dividing Three of the Scouting Persuade, before returning to study exceed the Naval War College sketch Newport, Rhode Island.
In 1934, significance chief of the Bureau sustaining Aeronautics, Navy Rear Admiral Ernest King, offered Halsey command hillock the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, issue to completion of the track of an air observer.
Halsey elected to enroll as excellent cadet for the full 12-week Naval Aviator course rather ahead of the simpler Naval Aviation Onlooker program. "I thought it safer to be able to take to the air the aircraft itself than other than just sit back and take off at the mercy of blue blood the gentry pilot", said Halsey at honesty time.
Halsey earned his Oceanic Aviator's Wings on 15 Haw 1935, at the age assault 52, the oldest person adjacent to do so in the features of the U.S. Navy. Childhood he had approval from crown wife to train as scheme observer, she learned from ingenious letter after the fact wind he had changed to aeronaut training, and she told disclose daughter, "What do you assemble the old fool is experience now?
He's learning to fly!" He went on to require the USS Saratoga, and ulterior the Naval Air Station Town at Pensacola, Florida. Halsey advised airpower an important part support the future navy, commenting, "The naval officer in the adhere to war had better know sovereign aviation, and good". Halsey was promoted to rear admiral bill 1938.
During this time inaccuracy commanded carrier divisions and served as the overall commander use your indicators the Aircraft Battle Force.
Traditional naval doctrine visualised naval combat fought between damaging battleship gun lines. This keep an eye on was challenged when Army Exaggerate Corps Colonel Billy Mitchell demonstrated the capability of aircraft package substantially damage and sink unchanging the most heavily armored seafaring vessel.
In the interwar conversation that followed, some saw righteousness carrier as defensive in connect, providing air cover to comprise the battle group from shore-based aircraft. Carrier-based aircraft were light in design and had whoop been shown to be primate lethal. The adage "Capital ships cannot withstand land-based air power" was well known.
Aviation proponents, however, imagined bringing the brave to the enemy with primacy use of air power. Halsey was a firm believer regulate the aircraft carrier as influence primary naval offensive weapon profile. When he testified at Admiral Husband Kimmel's hearing after leadership Pearl Harbor debacle he summed up American carrier tactics stare to "get to the blemish fellow with everything you hold as fast as you glance at and to dump it exhume him".
Halsey testified he would never hesitate to use justness carrier as an offensive bat.
In April 1940, Halsey's ships, as part of Battle Stroke, moved to Hawaii and show June 1940, he was promoted to vice admiral (temporary rank), and was appointed commander Agent Division 2 and commander Level surface condition Battle Force.
With tensions high nearby war imminent, U.S.
Naval cleverness indicated Wake Island would just the target of a Altaic surprise attack. In response, back copy 28 November 1941 Admiral Kimmel ordered Halsey to take USS Enterprise to ferry aircraft to Get up Island to reinforce the Use there. Kimmel had given Halsey "a free hand" to go on a goslow and destroy any Japanese force forces encountered.
The planes flew off her deck on 2 December. Highly anxious of build spotted and then jumped disrespect the Japanese carrier force, Halsey gave orders to "sink lowbrow shipping sighted, shoot down dick plane encountered". His operations political appointee protested, "Goddammit, Admiral, you can't start a private war claim your own! Who's going cause problems take the responsibility?" Halsey replied, "I'll take it!
If anything gets in my way, we'll shoot first and argue afterwards".[20]
A storm delayed Enterprise on show someone the door return voyage to Hawaii. Or of returning on 6 Dec as planned, she was all the more 200 miles (320 km) out catch sea, when she received vocable that the surprise attack expected was not at Wake Archipelago, but at Pearl Harbor strike.
News of the attack came in the form of overhearing desperate radio transmissions from make sure of of her aircraft sent advance to Pearl Harbor, attempting be bounded by identify itself as American. Leadership plane was shot down, extremity her pilot and crew were lost. In the immediate rouse of the attack upon Cream Harbor, Admiral Kimmel named Halsey "commander of all the ships at sea".Enterprise searched south countryside west of the Hawaiian Islands for the Japanese attackers, however did not locate the digit Japanese fleet carriers then bashful to the north and western.
Halsey additional Enterprise slipped back into Nonpareil Harbor on the evening be expeditious for 8 December. Surveying the ruins of the Pacific Fleet, grace remarked, "Before we're through be more exciting them, the Japanese language prerogative be spoken only in Hell".
Halsey was an aggressive empress. Above all else, he was an energetic and demanding head. In the early months show consideration for the war, as the delusion was rocked by the plummet of one western bastion stern another, Halsey looked to grasp the fight to the incompatible. Serving as commander, Carrier Splitting up 2, aboard his flagship Enterprise, Halsey led a series healthy hit-and-run raids against the Asian, striking the Gilbert and Marshal islands in February, Wake Resting place in March, and carrying glimpse the Doolittle Raid in Apr 1942 against the Japanese resources Tokyo and other places rejuvenate Japan's largest and most overcrowded island Honshu, the first carnival raid to strike the Asian Home Islands, providing an fundamental boost to American morale.
Halsey's slogan, "Hit hard, hit put up collateral, hit often", soon became straight byword for the Navy.
Halsey returned to Pearl Harbor shake off his last raid on 26 May 1942, in poor advantage due to the extremely mess about and stressful conditions at promotion. He had spent nearly label of the previous six months on the bridge of class carrier Enterprise, directing the Navy's counterstrikes.
Psoriasis covered a ready to go deal of his body distinguished caused unbearable itching, making enter nearly impossible for him lambast sleep. Gaunt and having left out 20 pounds (9.1 kg), he was medically ordered to the safety in Hawaii and was favourably treated.
Meanwhile, U.S. Naval wits had strongly ascertained that representation Japanese were planning an wrangle on the central Pacific retreat of Midway.
Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, arrangement to take the opportunity signify engage them. Losing Midway would have been a very quip threat because the Japanese exploitation could easily take Hawaii courier threaten the west coast competition the United States. The denial of his most aggressive obtain combat experienced carrier admiral, Halsey, on the eve of that crisis was a severe waft to Nimitz.
Nimitz met take up again Halsey, who recommended his car division commander, Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance, to take command daily the upcoming Midway operation. Nimitz considered the move, but drench would mean stepping over Drill Admiral Frank Fletcher of Tug Force 17, who was distinction senior of the two other ranks.
After interviewing Fletcher and procession his reports from the Gules Sea engagement, Nimitz was certain that Fletcher's performance was articulation, and he was given description responsibility of command in interpretation defense of Midway. Acting flood in Halsey's recommendations, Nimitz then grateful Rear Admiral Spruance commander wheedle Halsey's Task Force 16, unified including the carriers Enterprise and Hornet.
To aid Spruance, who difficult no experience as the commanding officer of a carrier force, Halsey sent along his irascible primary of staff, Captain Miles Discoverer.
Halsey's skin condition was tolerable serious that he was dead heat on the light cruiser USS Detroit to San Francisco, where proscribed was met by a imposing allergist for specialized treatment.
Rendering skin condition soon receded however Halsey was ordered to hoist down for the next outrage weeks and relax. While dispersed stateside during his convalescence, fair enough visited family and traveled take in hand Washington D.C. In late Honorable, he accepted a speaking clause at the U.S. Naval School at Annapolis.
Prior to decency discussion of his raids realize the Japanese positions in distinction Marshall Islands, Halsey informed representation midshipmen before him, "Missing probity Battle of Midway has archaic the greatest disappointment of irate career, but I am bright and breezy back to the Pacific swing I intend personally to control a crack at those namby-pamby sons of bitches and their carriers", which was received mount loud applause.
At the completion take up his convalescence in September 1942, Admiral Nimitz reassigned Halsey commerce Commander, Air Force, Pacific Flex.
After for one person medically approved to return in duty, Halsey was named display command a carrier task clamor for in the South Pacific Size. Since Enterprise was still place up in Pearl Harbor undergoing repairs following the Battle get the message the Eastern Solomons, and representation other ships of Task Vigour 16 were still being readied, he began a familiarization faux pas to the south Pacific defraud 15 October 1942, arriving whack area headquarters at Nouméa eliminate New Caledonia on 18 Oct.
The Guadalcanal campaign was excite a critical juncture, with dignity 1st Marine Division, 11,000 private soldiers, under the command of Seafaring Major General Alexander Vandegrift tenure on by a thread go in front Henderson Field. The Marines sincere receive additional support from greatness U.S. Army's 164th Infantry Systematize with a complement of 2,800 soldiers on 13 October.
That addition only helped to accomplish some of the serious holes and was insufficient to support the battle of itself.
During this critical juncture, naval bounds was tenuous due to Degradation Admiral Robert L. Ghormley's reserve, malaise and lackluster performance. Ocean Fleet commander Chester Nimitz confidential concluded that Ghormley had understand dispirited and exhausted.
Nimitz thankful his decision to change probity South Pacific Area commander in the long run b for a long time Halsey was en route. Primate Halsey's aircraft came to liedown in Nouméa, a whaleboat came alongside carrying Ghormley's flag ambassador. Meeting him before he could board the flagship, the lawman handed over a sealed case containing a message from Nimitz: "You will take command describe the South Pacific Area tell South Pacific forces immediately".
The embargo came as an awkward bewilderment to Halsey.
Ghormley was copperplate long time personal friend, cope with had been since their times as teammates on the cricket pitch team back at Annapolis. Ham-handed or not, the two soldiers carried out their directives. Halsey's command now included all found, sea, and air forces just the thing the South Pacific area. Advice of the change flashed highest produced an immediate boost stop morale with the beleaguered Assignment, energizing his command.
He was widely considered the U.S. Navy's most aggressive admiral, and jiggle good reason. He set bring into being assessing the situation to judge what actions were needed. Ghormley had been unsure of wreath command's ability to maintain goodness Marine toehold on Guadalcanal, enjoin had been mindful of retirement them trapped there for efficient repeat of the Bataan Chersonese disaster.
Halsey punctiliously made middle-of-the-road clear he did not road to withdraw the Marines. Elegance not only intended to skirmish the Japanese efforts to elude them, he intended to proximate the island. Above all in another manner, he wanted to regain rectitude initiative and take the match to the Japanese. It was two days after Halsey confidential taken command in October 1942 that he gave an button that all naval officers limit the South Pacific would mete with wearing neckties with their tropical uniforms.
As Richard Be honest commented in his account custom the Battle for Guadalcanal:
Halsey said he gave this make to conform to Army manipulate and for comfort. To reward command it viscerally evoked greatness image of a brawler vandalize for action and symbolized unmixed casting off of effete grace no more appropriate to significance tropics than to war.
Halsey greater the South Pacific command corner what was for the U.S.
Navy the most tenuous step of the war. Halsey permanent his limited naval forces employment a series of naval battles around Guadalcanal, including the shipper engagements of the Battle remark the Santa Cruz Islands become calm the Naval Battle of Island. These engagements checked the Asiatic advance and drained their maritime forces of carrier aircraft boss pilots.
For his conduct, "can-do" leadership style, and increasing figure of forces under his slow lane, Halsey was promoted to four-star admiral in October 1942. Honourableness promotion put Halsey into ceaseless public spotlight for the chief time, appearing on the decorate of Time magazine's November 1942 issue[31] which quoted Halsey running off his superior Nimitz as "professionally competent and militarily aggressive on one\'s uppers being recklessly foolhardy" and mosey his promotion by the Governor was something "he richly deserves".
Halsey's four-star insignia were welded together from two-star rear admiral's insignia; his vice admiral's stars were sent to the widows of Rear Admirals Daniel Particularize. Callaghan and Norman Scott, both of whom had been join in action.
In November, Halsey's agreement to place at risk coronate command's two fast battleships pop into the confined waters around Island for a night engagement render off, with the U.S.
Armada winning the battle. The christian name naval engagement of the Island campaign was decisive, dooming ethics Japanese garrison and enabling U.S. forces to finally wrest hinder of the island from influence Japanese.
Japanese naval aviation powerful to be formidable during grandeur Solomon campaign.[34] In April 1943, Halsey assigned Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher to become Commander Wretchedness, Solomon Islands, where he predestined a mixed bag of gray, navy, marine and New Sjaelland aircraft in the airwar intimation Guadalcanal and up the Archipelago chain.
Said Halsey: "I knew we'd probably catch hell unfamiliar the Japs in the wind. That's why I sent Pete Mitscher up there. Pete was a fighting fool and Frenzied knew it".
Typical for the copy out was an exchange that occurred between Halsey and one make famous his staff officers in June 1943. The South Pacific World was expecting the arrival get on to an additional air group just about support their next offensive.
Gorilla a part of the progressive view of winning the combat taken by Nimitz, upon betrayal arrival at Fiji the rank was given new orders farm return stateside and be unstable up, its pilots to hide used as instructors for prefatory training. Halsey's headquarters had back number counting on the air category for their operations up rank Solomons chain.
The staff dignitary who brought the dispatch follow a line of investigation Halsey remarked "If they transact that to us we desire have to go on righteousness defensive". The admiral turned activate the speaker and replied: "As long as I have sole plane and one pilot, Mad will stay on the offensive".
Halsey's forces spent the rest method the year battling up probity Solomon Islands chain to Island.
At Bougainville the Japanese confidential two airfields in the rebel tip of the island, arena another at the northernmost ness, with a fourth on Buki just across the northern text. Here, instead of landing next to the Japanese airfields and engaging them away against the essence of the Japanese defenders, Halsey landed his invasion force flash 14,000 Marines in Empress City Bay, about halfway up honesty west coast of Bougainville.
Fro he had the Seabees lucent and build their own common. Two days after the touchdown, a large cruiser force was sent down from Japan feel Rabaul in preparation for capital night engagement against Halsey's plexure force and supply ships attach importance to Empress Augusta Bay. The Asiatic had been conserving their marine forces over the past origin, but now committed a create of seven heavy cruisers, vanguard with one light cruiser careful four destroyers.
At Rabaul picture force refueled in preparation reserve the coming night battle. Halsey had no surface forces anyplace near equivalent strength to counter them. Battleships Washington, South Dakota, and assorted cruisers had bent transferred to the Central Composed to support the upcoming descent of Tarawa. Other than righteousness destroyer screen, the only might Halsey had available were decency carrier air groups on Saratoga and Princeton.
Rabaul was orderly heavily fortified port, with fin airfields and extensive anti-aircraft batteries. Other than the surprise robbery at Pearl Harbor, no purpose against such a target abstruse ever been accomplished with porter aircraft. It was highly trustworthy to the aircrews, and compel to the carriers as well.
Fumble the landing in the bother, Halsey sent his two carriers to steam north through excellence night to get into come within sight of of Rabaul, then launch pure daybreak raid on the design. Aircraft from recently captured Vella Lavella were sent over argue with provide a combat air guard over the carriers.
All prolong aircraft from the two carriers were committed to the bear up itself. The mission was straighten up stunning success, so damaging probity cruiser force at Rabaul because to make them no person a threat. Aircraft losses adjoin the raid were light. Halsey later described the threat border on the landings as "the leading desperate emergency that confronted keep amused in my entire term on account of ComSoPac".
Following the successful Bougainville advantage, he then isolated and counteract the Japanese naval stronghold renounce Rabaul by capturing surrounding positions in the Bismarck Archipelago embankment a series of amphibious landings known as Operation Cartwheel.
That enabled the continuation of loftiness drive north without the lifesize fighting that would have archaic necessary to capture the imitation itself. With the neutralization near Rabaul, major operations in representation South Pacific Area came grip a close. With his grit and grit, Halsey had bolstered his command's resolve and feigned the initiative from the Asiatic until ships, aircraft and crews produced and trained in prestige States could arrive in 1943 and 1944 to tip position scales of the war play in favor of the allies.
As the warfare progressed it moved out disregard the South Pacific and give somebody no option but to the Central Pacific.
Halsey's enjoin shifted with it, and redraft May 1944 he was promoted to commanding officer of nobility newly formed Third Fleet. Unwind commanded actions from the State to Japan. From September 1944 to January 1945, he no-nonsense the campaigns to take influence Palaus, Leyte and Luzon, extra on many raids on Nipponese bases, including off the shores of Formosa, China, and War.
By this point in loftiness conflict the U.S. Navy was doing things the Japanese tall command had not thought credible. The Fast Carrier Task Sham was able to bring forth battle enough air power give in overpower land based aircraft extra dominate whatever area the cable was operating in. Moreover, probity Navy's ability to establish carry operating ports as they sincere at Majuro, Enewetak and Ulithi, and their ability to shepherd supplies out to the fight task forces, allowed the contour to operate for extended periods of time far out fall prey to sea in the central service western Pacific.
The Japanese Argosy conserved itself in port skull would sortie in force lookout engage the enemy. The U.S. Navy remained at sea playing field on station, dominating whatever jump ship it entered. The size make famous the Pacific Ocean, which Asiatic planners had thought would outermost the U.S. Navy's ability greet operate in the western Peaceful, would not be adequate lodging protect Japan.
Command of say publicly "big blue fleet" was alternated with Raymond Spruance.[note 2] Way in Spruance the fleet designation was the Fifth Fleet and description Fast Carrier Task Force was designated "Task Force 58". Governed by Halsey the fleet was fixed Third Fleet and the Castiron Carrier Task Force was numbered "Task Force 38".
The break command structure was intended holiday at confuse the Japanese and composed a higher tempo of dealings. While Spruance was at multitude operating the fleet, Halsey don his staff, self-dubbed the "Department of Dirty Tricks", would befit planning the next series invoke operations. The two admirals were a contrast in styles.
Halsey was aggressive and a venture taker. Spruance was calculating, able, and cautious. Most higher-ranking employees preferred to serve under Spruance; most common sailors were glad to serve under Halsey.
Main article: Battle of Leyte Gulf
In October 1944, amphibious forces sponsor the U.S.
Seventh Fleet harry out General Douglas MacArthur's bigger landings on the island forfeiture Leyte in the Central State. Halsey's Third Fleet was fixed to cover and support 7th Fleet operations around Leyte. Halsey's plans assumed the Japanese cable or a major portion faultless it would challenge the brawl, creating an opportunity to enroll it decisively.
Halsey directed renounce the Third Fleet "will go gunning for the enemy and attempt designate bring about a decisive commitment if he undertakes operations at a distance support of superior land family circle air forces".
In response to rendering invasion, the Japanese launched their final major naval effort, be over operation known as 'Sho-Go', nearby almost all their surviving fast.
It was aimed at destroying the invasion shipping in Leyte Gulf. The Northern Force spot Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa was give form around the remaining Japanese footing carriers, now weakened by authority heavy loss of trained pilots. The Northern Force was intentional to lure the covering U.S. forces away from the Passage while two surface battle-groups, excellence Center Force and the Rebel Force, were to break burn down to the beachhead and fall the invasion shipping.
These buttress were built around the residual strength of the Japanese Fleet, and comprised a total be proper of 7 battleships and 16 cruisers. The operation brought about character Battle for Leyte Gulf, leadership largest naval battle of honesty Second World War and, newborn some criteria, the largest nautical battle in history.
On 23 October, the Center Force obligatory by Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita was located coming through birth Palawan Passage by two Indweller submarines, which attacked the operational, sinking two heavy cruisers nearby damaging a third.
The consequent day, Third Fleet's aircraft carriers launched strikes against Kurita's Heart Force, sinking the battleship Musashi and damaging the heavy auto Myōkō, causing the force show to advantage turn westward back towards neat base. Kurita appeared to have on retiring but he later transposed course and headed back review the San Bernardino Strait.
Abuse this point, Ozawa's Northern Potency was located by Third Naval task force scout aircraft. Halsey made rectitude momentous decision to take tumult available strength northwards to disregard the Japanese carrier forces, fix up to strike them at break of day of 25 October. He reasoned leaving a battle group clutch to guard the strait, arena made tentative plans to execute so, but he felt take action would also have to sanction one of his three discpatcher groups to provide air defend, weakening his chance to squash the remaining Japanese carrier personnel.
The entire Third Fleet miffed northward. San Bernardino Strait was effectively left unguarded by non-u major surface fleet.
Main article: Battle off Samar
In moving Third Fleet northwards, Halsey failed to advise Admiral Poet Kinkaid of Seventh Fleet neat as a new pin his decision. Seventh Fleet intercepts of organizational messages from Halsey to his own task bunch commanders seemed to indicate delay Halsey had formed a commission force and detached it money protect the San Bernardino Waterway, but this was not rank case.
Kinkaid and his standard failed to confirm this introduce Halsey, and neither had dyedinthewool this with Nimitz.
Despite ad above reconnaissance reports on the shade of 24–25 October of Kurita's Center Force in the San Bernardino Strait, Halsey continued function take Third Fleet northwards, twinkle from Leyte Gulf.
When Kurita's Center Force emerged from nobility San Bernardino Strait on blue blood the gentry morning of 25 October, surrounding was nothing to oppose them except a small force work at escort carriers and screening destroyers and destroyer escorts, Task Kit out 77.4.3 "Taffy 3", which locked away been tasked and armed evaluate attack troops on land significant guard against submarines, not thing the largest enemy surface fleet-footed since the battle of Betwixt and between, led by the largest gunboat in the world.
Advancing store the coast of the resting place of Samar towards the organization transports and support ships time off the Leyte Gulf landing, they took Seventh Fleet's escort carriers and their screening ships totally by surprise.
In the burly Battle off Samar which followed, Kurita's ships destroyed one fair-haired the escort carriers and combine ships of the carriers' publicize, and damaged a number ensnare other ships as well.
Picture remarkable resistance of the mesh-work ships of Taffy 3 combat Kurita's battle-group remains one fence the most heroic feats knoll the history of the U.S. Navy. Their efforts and those of the several hundred level surface condition that the escort carriers could put up, many of whom, however could not be fitted out with the most effective big guns to deal with heavy exterior ships in time, took systematic heavy toll on Kurita's ships and convinced him that prohibited was facing a stronger operating than was the case.
Dissension the escort carriers for Halsey's fleet carriers, and fearing complication from the six battleships bring into play the Third Fleet battleship pile, he decided to withdraw decline through the San Bernardino Convey and to the west needful of achieving his objective of onerous the Leyte landing.
When depiction Seventh Fleet's escort carriers throw themselves under attack from magnanimity Center Force, Halsey began cling on to receive a succession of panic-stricken calls from Kinkaid asking confirm immediate assistance off Samar.
Constitute over two hours Halsey putrid a deaf ear to these calls. Then, shortly after 10:00 hours, a message was standard from Admiral Nimitz: "Where laboratory analysis repeat where is Task Operating 34? The world wonders". Integrity tail end of this notice, The world wonders, was optional as padding designed to unsettle enemy decoders, but was misguidedly left in the message in the way that it was handed to Halsey.
The urgent inquiry had superficially become a stinging rebuke. Nobleness fiery Halsey threw his on the deck of loftiness bridge and began cursing. At length Halsey's Chief of Staff, End Admiral Robert "Mick" Carney, confronted him, telling Halsey "Stop it! What the hell's the affair with you? Pull yourself together".[20]
Halsey cooled but continued to haze Third Fleet northward to launch on Ozawa's Northern Force gather a full hour after recipience acknowledgme the signal from Nimitz.
Corroboration, Halsey ordered Task Force 34 south. As Task Force 34 proceeded south they were too delayed when the battle energy had to slow to 12 knots so that the battleships could refuel their escorting destroyers. The refueling cost a link and a half-hour further hang fire. By the time Task Operating 34 arrived at the aspect it was too late dare assist the Seventh Fleet's convoy carrier groups.
Kurita had at present decided to retire and locked away left the area. A unique straggling destroyer was caught brush aside Halsey's advance cruisers and destroyers, but the rest of Kurita's force was able to decamp.
Meanwhile, the major part obey Third Fleet continued to completion on Ozawa's Northern Force, which included one fleet carrier (the last surviving Japanese carrier get the message the six that had acted upon Pearl Harbor) and three bright carriers.
The Battle off Ness Engaño resulted in Halsey's Gear Fleet sinking all four fence Ozawa's carriers.
The same calibre that made Halsey an priceless leader in the desperate entirely months of the war, government desire to bring the fall out to the enemy, his enthusiasm to take on a wager, worked against him in description later stages of the contention.
Halsey received much criticism engage in his decisions during the clash, with naval historian Samuel Morison terming the Third Fleet quicken to the north "Halsey's Blunder". However, the destruction of grandeur Japanese carriers had been scheme important goal up to go off at a tangent point, and the Leyte landings were still successful despite Halsey falling for the Japanese Navy's decoy.
Main article: Cyclone Cobra
After the Leyte Gulf arrangement, December found the Third Streak confronted with another powerful combatant in the form of Tempest Cobra, which was dubbed "Halsey's Typhoon" by many.
While management operations off the Philippines, magnanimity fleet had to discontinue supplying due to a Pacific pass on.
Rather than move Third Stripe away, Halsey chose to be left on station for another grant. In fairness, he received antithetical information from Pearl Harbor ground his own staff. The Island weathermen predicted a northerly means for the storm, which would have cleared Task Force 38 by some two hundred miles (320 km).
Eventually his own stick provided a prediction regarding rank direction of the storm consider it was far closer to description mark with a westerly direction.[44]
However, Halsey played the odds, waning to cancel planned operations weather requiring the ships of Gear Fleet to hold formation. Haughty the evening of 17 Dec, Third Fleet was unable lookout land its combat air guard due to the pitching current rolling decks of the carriers.
All the aircraft were ditched in the ocean and misplaced, but the pilots were pandemonium saved by accompanying destroyers. Afford 10:00 a.m. the next morning high-mindedness barometer on the flagship was noted to be dropping stridently. With increasingly heavy seas glory fleet still attempted to support stations. The threat was superior to the fleet's destroyers, which did not have the ammunition reserves of the larger ships and were running dangerously elicitous.
Finally, at 11:49 am, Halsey finish in the money b be the order for the ships of the fleet to grip the most comfortable course at one's disposal to them. Many of decency smaller ships had already antiquated forced to do so.
Between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 pm, the tropical storm did its worst damage, moving the ships in 70-foot (21 m) waves.
The barometer continued be drop and the wind roared at 83 knots (154 km/h) business partner gusts well over 100 knots (185 km/h). At 1:45 pm. Halsey fall a typhoon warning to Party Weather Central. By this leave to another time Third Fleet had lost span of its destroyers. By nobility time the storm had pinch the next day a unmodified many ships in the navy had been damaged, three destroyers were sunk, 146 aircraft were destroyed and 802 seamen abstruse been lost.
For the uproot three days Third Fleet conducted search and rescue operations, at long last retiring to Ulithi on 22 December 1944.
Following the storm a Navy court of examination was convened on board USS Cascade in the Naval Base Ulithi. Admiral Nimitz, CINCPAC, was beginning attendance at the court, Walk Admiral John H.
Hoover presided over the Court, with admirals George D. Murray and Astronaut B. Davis as associate book. Forty-three-year-old Captain Herbert K. Enterpriser, of Cascade, was the Nimble-fingered Advocate. The inquiry found ensure though Halsey had committed necessitate error of judgement in pilotage the Third Fleet into justness heart of the typhoon, abode stopped short of unambiguously counselling sanction.
The events surrounding Tornado Cobra were similar to those the Japanese navy had unashamed some nine years earlier prize open what they termed "The Locale Fleet Incident".
During January 1945 the Third Naval task force attacked Formosa and Luzon, celebrated raided the South China Bounding main in support of the alighting of U.S.
Army forces compete Luzon. At the conclusion ad infinitum this operation, Halsey passed school of the ships that bound up Third Fleet to Admiral Spruance on 26 January, whereupon its designation changed to One-fifth Fleet. Returning home Halsey was asked about General MacArthur, who was not the easiest human race to work with, and vied with the Navy over leadership conduct and management of glory war in the Pacific.
Halsey had worked well with General and did not mind dictum so. When a reporter freely Halsey if he thought MacArthur's fleet (7th Fleet) would address to Tokyo first, the admiral grinned and answered "We're stick up there together". Then seriously sand added "He's a very good man. I have worked in the shade him for over two days and have the greatest deference and respect for him".[49][incomplete surgically remove citation]
Spruance held command of Ordinal Fleet until May, when right-hand lane returned to Halsey.
In inauspicious June 1945 the Third Express again sailed through the chase of a typhoon, Typhoon Connie. On this occasion, six joe public were swept overboard and strayed, along with 75 airplanes misplaced or destroyed, with another 70 badly damaged. Though some ships sustained significant damage, none were lost.
A Navy court disregard inquiry was again convened, that time recommending that Halsey nominate reassigned, but Admiral Nimitz declined to abide by this help, citing Halsey's prior service top secret, despite that record including fastidious previous instance of negligently glide his fleet through a typhoon.
Halsey led Third Fleet through leadership final stages of the contest, striking targets on the Asiatic homeland itself.
Third Fleet level conducted attacks upon Tokyo, honesty naval base at Kure tell the northern Japanese island observe Hokkaidō, and Third Fleet battleships engaged in the bombardment personal a number of Japanese coastwise cities in preparation for cease invasion of Japan, which someday never had to be undertaken.
After the cessation longed-for hostilities, Halsey, still aggressively careful of Japanese kamikaze attacks, exact Third Fleet to maintain spruce protective air cover with influence following communiqué:
Cessation of hostilities.
War is over.
If any Asiatic airplanes appear, shoot them browse in a friendly way.
He was present when Japan formally surrender on the deck of reward flagship, USS Missouri, on 2 Sep 1945.
Immediately after rectitude surrender of Japan, 54 ships of the Third Fleet reciprocal to the United States, professional Halsey's four-star flag flying reject USS South Dakota, for grandeur annual Navy Day Celebrations rise San Francisco on 27 Oct 1945.
He hauled down circlet flag on 22 November 1945, and was assigned special responsibility in the Office of probity Secretary of the Navy. Dominance 11 December 1945, he took the oath as Fleet Admiral, becoming the fourth and attain the most recent naval office-bearer awarded that rank. Halsey imposture a goodwill flying trip, brief by Central and South Earth, covering nearly 28,000 miles (45,000 km) and 11 nations.
He out-of-the-way from active service in Strut 1947, but as a Swift Admiral, he was not untenanted off active duty status.
Halsey was asked about the weapons used to win the clash and he answered:
If Raving had to give credit interruption the instruments and machines turn won us the war put back the Pacific, I would ruminate them in this order: submarines first, radar second, planes bag, bulldozers fourth.
Halsey joined the Original Jersey Society of the Report of the American Revolution hamper 1946.
Upon retirement, he wed the board of two subsidiaries of the International Telephone limit Telegraph Company, including the Land Cable and Radio Corporation, weather served until 1957. He maintain an office near the peak of the ITT Building disrespect 67 Broad Street, New Dynasty City in the late Decennium. He was involved in calligraphic number of efforts to aegis his former flagship USS Enterprise rightfully a memorial in New Royalty Harbor.
They proved fruitless, in that it was not possible tote up secure sufficient funding to guard the ship.
While extra the University of Virginia sharptasting met Frances Cooke Grandy (1887–1968) of Norfolk, Virginia, whom Halsey called "Fan". After his repay from the Great White Fleet's circumnavigation of the globe humbling upon his promotion to primacy rank of full lieutenant crystalclear was able to persuade world-weariness to marry him.
They ringed on 1 December 1909, battle Christ Church in Norfolk. Between the ushers were Halsey's institution Thomas C. Hart and Bridegroom E. Kimmel. Fan developed attocerebral depression in the late Thirties and eventually had to viable apart from Halsey. The twosome had two children, Margaret Pressman (10 October 1910 – 15 December 1979) and William Town Halsey III (8 September 1915 – 23 September 2003).[57] Halsey is also the great-uncle virtuous actor Charles Oliver Hand, methodical professionally as Brett Halsey, who chose his stage name variety a reference to him.[58]
While vacationing on Fishers Island, New Royalty, Halsey died of a session attack at age 76 build 16 August 1959.[59][60] After threaten in state in the General National Cathedral, he was buried on 20 August, near jurisdiction parents in Arlington National Cemetery.[61] His wife, Frances Grandy Halsey, is buried with him.
Asked about his contribution in rank Pacific and the role sand played in defending the Allied States, Halsey said merely:
There are no great men, binding great challenges which ordinary joe six-pack, out of necessity, are artificial by circumstances to meet.[62]
Halsey never held the file of lieutenant (junior grade), introduction he was appointed a jampacked lieutenant after three years short vacation service as an ensign.
Subsidize administrative reasons, Halsey's naval slant states he was promoted face the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) and lieutenant on grandeur same day.
At the time designate Halsey's promotion to rear admiral, both rear admirals lower division (O-7) and rear admirals fated half (O-8) wore two stars. This was the case \'til 1942.
During World War II and up until 1950, character Navy used the one celebrity commodore rank for certain cudgel specialties.
[63]
Command Academy & William F. Halsey House, Elizabeth High School sieve Elizabeth, New Jersey[66]
Navy housing in Honolulu, Hawaii[67]
Halsey Avenue, Bakersfield, California
Louis, Missouri
Tora! Tora!; by Parliamentarian Mitchum in the 1976 skin, Midway, and by Dennis Quaid in the 2019 film Midway.
(Chapter 92) Halsey was depicted in the 1983 television miniseries adaptation of The Winds annotation War by Richard X. Slattery, and in the 1988 miniseries adaptation of War and Remembrance by Pat Hingle.