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sending out distress signals. The ship was sinking
rapidly; but Ausburne, disregarding his own
safety, stuck to his post to the end, vainly
attempting to obtain help. Ausburne’s sacrifice,
like Ingram’s, was in keeping with the highest
traditions of naval service. The heroism of such
men reminds us that the bluejackets are worthy
of the best in leadership.
WORLD WAR II
SIGNIFICANT DATES
16 Oct. 1940
Registration under the Selective
Service and Training Act begins;
16 million register.
7 Dec. 1941
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor.
20 Dec. 1941
Admiral E. J. King assumes
duties as Commander in Chief,
U.S. Fleet.
18 Jun. 1942
First black officer, Bernard W.
Robinson,
commissioned in
Naval Reserve.
Deeds of yesterday furnish the inspiration for
today. In warfare the immediate stakes are death
and life, and the long-term stakes are the survival
of a way of life and of a civilization. During such
crises people must work beyond their strength and
hit harder and faster than their opponents. They
must make split-second—and correct—decisions
and risk their own lives to let others live. Their
heroism lives on in traditions that become the
motivating force of future generations: traditions
of courage, hard work, lightning fast and shrewd
judgment, and heroic self-sacrifice. The many
Navy members that responded to such crises
during World War II reinforced these valued
naval traditions.
CHESTER WILLIAM NIMITZ
Admiral Chester William Nimitz hoisted his
flag as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet
(CINCPAC), on 31 December 1941 aboard the
submarine Grayling in a harbor littered with the
wreckage of American warships. Admiral Nimitz
(fig. 2-13) was faced with one of the most difficult
tasks ever presented. The Japanese, on 7
December 1941, successfully rendered one of the
most damaging air raids in history. Of eight
battleships in Pearl Harbor, Arizona w as
wrecked, Oklahoma capsized, and six were
damaged—three of which were resting on the
bottom. All totaled, 19 American ships were hit.
The Japanese practically eliminated the Navy’s
air-striking power by knocking out 150 of 202
planes. The Navy and Marine Corps suffered
2,117 dead plus 779 wounded.
Despite a tragic shortage of ships, aircraft, and
supplies, Admiral Nimitz organized his remaining
forces to carry on defensive warfare. He tried to
delay the enemy’s advance until we could muster
sufficient strength to put up any real resistance.
As rapidly as ships, personnel, and material
became available, however, he shifted to the
offensive.
His brilliant leadership and outstanding skill
as a strategist enabled units under his command
to defeat the enemy in the Coral Sea, off
Midway, and in the Solomons. His strategy also
enabled forces to conduct offensive raids on
Japanese-held territories, such as the Gilbert and
Marshall Islands. The first decisive defeat suffered
by the Japanese navy in 350 years was achieved
by forces under Admiral Nimitz’ command during
the Battle of Midway. It put an end to the long
period of Japanese offensive action and restored
the balance of naval power in the Pacific.
Gradually, Admiral Nimitz’ forces fought
their way across the Pacific to the Japanese
mainland. Initiating the final phase in the battle
for victory, Admiral Nimitz launched an attack
against the Marianas. His forces inflicted a
decisive defeat in the Battle of the Philippine Sea
and captured Guam and Tinian. Continuing
onward, his forces isolated enemy-held bastions
(the strategy of island hopping) in the Central and
Eastern Carolines. An engagement with Japanese
task forces then resulted in a historic victory in
the Battle of Leyte Gulf. His long-range strategy
peaked as his forces launched amphibious assaults
on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Finally, Nimitz placed U.S. Navy forces in the
harbor of Tokyo, which resulted in the surrender
of the Japanese Imperial government. The formal
surrender document was signed on 2 September
1945 aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay
2-17
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