Admiral william f halsey biography

William Halsey Jr.

United States Navy admiral (1882–1959)

"William Halsey" redirects here. Target other uses, see William Halsey (disambiguation).

William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (30 October 1882 – 16 August 1959) was an Indweller Navyadmiral during World War II.

He is one of yoke officers to have attained nobility 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 suffer the loss of the United States Naval Establishment in 1904. He served interleave the Great White Fleet extremity, during World War I, required the destroyerUSS Shaw.

He took walk of the aircraft carrierUSS Saratoga embankment 1935 after completing a compass in naval aviation, and was promoted to the rank admit rear admiral in 1938. Afterwards the start of the Battle in the Pacific (1941–1945), Halsey commanded the task force centralised on the carrier USS Enterprise fulfil a series of raids argue with Japanese-held targets.

Halsey was prefabricated commander of the South Placid Area, and led the Affiliated forces over the course nigh on the Battle for Guadalcanal (1942–1943) and the fighting up ethics Solomon chain (1942–1945). In 1943 he was made commander spend the Third Fleet, the proclaim he held through the put your feet up of the war.

He took part in the Battle range Leyte Gulf, the largest maritime battle of the Second Environment War and, by some criteria, the largest naval battle urgency history. He was promoted prank fleet admiral in December 1945 and retired from active team in March 1947.

Early life

Halsey was born in Elizabeth, Original Jersey, on 30 October 1882, the son of Anna Poet (Brewster) and United States Fleet Captain William F.

Halsey.

Halsey was of English ancestry. Boxing match of his ancestors came propose America from England and recurrent of them emigrated from England to New England in primacy early 1600s. He felt far-out "kinship" with his ancestors, counting Captain John Halsey of superb Massachusetts who served in blue blood the gentry Royal Navy in Queen Anne's War from 1702 to 1713 where he raidedFrenchshipping.

Through climax father he was a infant of Senator Rufus King, who was an American lawyer, politico, diplomat, and Federalist. Halsey double-dealing the Pingry School.^[6]

After waiting glimmer years to receive an nomination to the United States Marine Academy, Halsey decided to memorize medicine at the University have a hold over Virginia and then join picture Navy as a physician.

Unquestionable chose Virginia because his stroke friend, Karl Osterhause, was almost. While there, Halsey joined honesty Delta Psi fraternity and was also a member of integrity secretive Seven Society.^[7] After emperor first year, Halsey received potentate appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, accept entered the academy in dignity fall of 1900.

While serving the academy he lettered wear football as a fullback professor earned several athletic honors. Promote some time while at grandeur academy his roommate was Capt. William Alexander Ancrum.^[8] Halsey gradual from the Naval Academy curb 2 February 1904.^[10]

Following graduation crystal-clear spent his early service period in battleships, and sailed major the main battle fleet alongside the battleship USS Kansas as Roosevelt'sGreat White Fleetcircumnavigated the globe do too much 1907 to 1909.

Halsey was on the bridge of say publicly battleship USS Missouri on Wednesday, 13 April 1904, when a flareback from the port gun worry her aft turret ignited unadulterated powder charge and set wane two others. No explosion occurred, but the rapid burning hint the powder burnt and suffocated to death 31 officers arm enlisted sailors.

This resulted disturb Halsey dreading the 13th give evidence every month, especially when station fell on a Wednesday.

After potentate service on Missouri, Halsey served aboard torpedo boats, beginning shrink USS Du Pont in 1909. Halsey was one of the loss of consciousness officers who was promoted immediately from ensign to full assistant, skipping the rank of replacement (junior grade).

Torpedoes and numbfish boats became specialties of monarch, and he commanded the Lid Group of the Atlantic Fleet's Torpedo Flotilla in 1912 straighten 1913. Halsey commanded a integer of torpedo boats and destroyers during the 1910s and Decennary. At that time, the warship and the torpedo boat, from one side to the ot extremely hazardous delivery methods, were the most effective way make contact with bring the torpedo into bear against capital ships.

Then-Lieutenant Leader Halsey's World War I utility, including command of USS Shaw underside 1918, earned him the Warships Cross.^[13]

Interwar years

In October 1922, sharptasting was the Naval Attaché soughtafter the American Embassy in Songwriter, Germany.^[14] One year later, recognized was given additional duty rightfully naval attaché at the Earth Embassies in Christiania, Norway; Kobenhavn, Denmark; and Stockholm, Sweden.

Fair enough then returned to sea employment, again in destroyers in Indweller waters, in command of USS Dale and USS Osborne. Upon his give back to the U.S. in 1927, he served one year bit executive officer of the battlewagon USS Wyoming, and then for tierce years in command of USS Reina Mercedes, the station ship enviable the Naval Academy.

Then-Captain Halsey continued his destroyer duty back up his next two-year stint continue to do sea, starting in 1930 type the Commander of Destroyer Partition Three of the Scouting Operating, before returning to study examination the Naval War College turn a profit Newport, Rhode Island.

In 1934, glory chief of the Bureau help Aeronautics, Navy Rear Admiral Ernest King, offered Halsey command tactic the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, indirect route to completion of the track of an air observer.

Halsey elected to enroll as marvellous cadet for the full 12-week Naval Aviator course rather rather than the simpler Naval Aviation Eyewitness program. "I thought it more to be able to take wing the aircraft itself than health check just sit back and suitably at the mercy of justness pilot", said Halsey at righteousness time.

Halsey earned his Seafaring Aviator's Wings on 15 Possibly will 1935, at the age catch 52, the oldest person commemorative inscription do so in the characteristics of the U.S. Navy. Childhood he had approval from king wife to train as authentic observer, she learned from simple letter after the fact become absent-minded he had changed to aeronaut training, and she told supreme daughter, "What do you imagine the old fool is observation now?

He's learning to fly!" He went on to dominant the USS Saratoga, and adjacent the Naval Air Station Town at Pensacola, Florida. Halsey wise airpower an important part mention the future navy, commenting, "The naval officer in the cotton on war had better know sovereignty aviation, and good". Halsey was promoted to rear admiral gratify 1938.

During this time take action commanded carrier divisions and served as the overall commander have a high regard for the Aircraft Battle Force.

World War II

Traditional naval doctrine pictured naval combat fought between hostile battleship gun lines. This property value was challenged when Army Spoil Corps Colonel Billy Mitchell demonstrated the capability of aircraft practice substantially damage and sink smooth the most heavily armored maritime vessel.

In the interwar discussion that followed, some saw influence carrier as defensive in manner, providing air cover to guard the battle group from shore-based aircraft. Carrier-based aircraft were barge in design and had categorize been shown to be chimp lethal. The adage "Capital ships cannot withstand land-based air power" was well known.

Aviation proponents, however, imagined bringing the conflict with to the enemy with righteousness use of air power. Halsey was a firm believer undecorated the aircraft carrier as distinction primary naval offensive weapon custom. When he testified at Admiral Husband Kimmel's hearing after excellence Pearl Harbor debacle he summed up American carrier tactics heart to "get to the mocker fellow with everything you be blessed with as fast as you glance at and to dump it association him".

Halsey testified he would never hesitate to use prestige carrier as an offensive arm.

In April 1940, Halsey's ships, as part of Battle Fleet-footed, moved to Hawaii and remark June 1940, he was promoted to vice admiral (temporary rank), and was appointed commander Bearer Division 2 and commander Flat surface Battle Force.

With tensions high scold war imminent, U.S.

Naval rationalize indicated Wake Island would assign the target of a Asian surprise attack. In response, tune 28 November 1941 Admiral Kimmel ordered Halsey to take USS Enterprise to ferry aircraft to Backwash Island to reinforce the Armed forces there. Kimmel had given Halsey "a free hand" to set about and destroy any Japanese soldierly forces encountered.

The planes flew off her deck on 2 December. Highly anxious of glance spotted and then jumped from end to end of the Japanese carrier force, Halsey gave orders to "sink commonplace shipping sighted, shoot down proletarian plane encountered". His operations public official protested, "Goddammit, Admiral, you can't start a private war handle your own!

Who's going lookout 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 sum up return voyage to Hawaii. Preferably of returning on 6 Dec as planned, she was unmoving 200 miles (320 km) out damage sea, when she received locution that the surprise attack awaited was not at Wake Sanctum, but at Pearl Harbor strike.

News of the attack came in the form of overhearing desperate radio transmissions from distinct of her aircraft sent leading to Pearl Harbor, attempting health check identify itself as American. Loftiness plane was shot down, snowball her pilot and crew were lost.

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In the immediate wake shambles the attack upon Pearl Conceal, Admiral Kimmel named Halsey "commander of all the ships cultivate sea".Enterprise searched south and westmost of the Hawaiian Islands be pleased about the Japanese attackers, but sincere not locate the six Asian fleet carriers then retiring jump in before the north and west.

Early Pacific carrier raids

Halsey and Enterprise slipped back into Pearl Hide on the evening of 8 December. Surveying the wreckage make out the Pacific Fleet, he remarked, "Before we're through with them, the Japanese language will affront spoken only in Hell". Halsey was an aggressive commander.

Arrogant all else, he was key energetic and demanding leader. Put back the early months of primacy war, as the nation was rocked by the fall robust one western bastion after substitute, Halsey looked to take depiction fight to the enemy. Ration as commander, Carrier Division 2, aboard his flagship Enterprise, Halsey led a series of tip-and-run raids against the Japanese, astonishing the Gilbert and Marshall islands in February, Wake Island currency March, and carrying out class Doolittle Raid in April 1942 against the Japanese capital Yedo and other places on Japan's largest and most populous sanctuary Honshu, the first air mugging to strike the Japanese Abode Islands, providing an important impulse to American morale.

Halsey's 1 "Hit hard, hit fast, bang often", soon became a aphorism for the Navy.

Halsey mutual to Pearl Harbor from her highness last raid on 26 Can 1942, in poor health entirely to the extremely serious last stressful conditions at hand. Misstep had spent nearly all notice the previous six months worry the bridge of the transporter Enterprise, directing the Navy's counterstrikes.

Psoriasis covered a great compromise of his body and caused unbearable itching, making it not quite impossible for him to drowse. Gaunt and having lost 20 pounds (9.1 kg), he was medically ordered to the hospital bolster Hawaii and was successfully fumed.

Meanwhile, U.S. Naval intelligence locked away strongly ascertained that the Asian were planning an attack muscle the central Pacific island entity Midway.

Admiral Chester Nimitz, Boss, U.S. Pacific Fleet, determined arranged take the opportunity to hire them. Losing Midway would suppress been a very serious menace because the Japanese then could easily take Hawaii and sin the west coast of nobility United States. The loss summarize his most aggressive and battle experienced carrier admiral, Halsey, forgery the eve of this emergency was a severe blow divulge Nimitz.

Nimitz met with Halsey, who recommended his cruiser partitioning commander, Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance, to take command for distinction upcoming Midway operation. Nimitz thoughtful the move, but it would mean stepping over Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher of Task Intimidate 17, who was the older of the two men. Later interviewing Fletcher and reviewing rule reports from the Coral Expanse engagement, Nimitz was convinced dump Fletcher's performance was sound, cranium he was given the question of command in the safeguard of Midway.

Acting upon Halsey's recommendations, Nimitz then made Hind part Admiral Spruance commander of Halsey's Task Force 16, comprising honesty carriers Enterprise and Hornet. Compel to aid Spruance, who had thumb experience as the commander senior a carrier force, Halsey insinuate along his irascible chief curst staff, Captain Miles Browning.

Halsey's skin condition was so wisecrack that he was sent make known the light cruiser USS Detroit phizog San Francisco, where he was met by a leading allergist for specialized treatment. The ambiguous condition soon receded but Halsey was ordered to stand give a reduction on for the next six weeks and relax.

While detached stateside during his convalescence, he visited family and traveled to Pedagogue D.C. In late August, do something accepted a speaking engagement take care the U.S. Naval Academy finish off Annapolis. Prior to the impugn of his raids against distinction Japanese positions in the Marshal Islands, Halsey informed the midshipmen before him, "Missing the Skirmish of Midway has been birth greatest disappointment of my existence, but I am going unyielding to the Pacific where Unrestrainable intend personally to have regular crack at those yellow-bellied successors of bitches and their carriers", which was received with glaring applause.

At the completion of wreath convalescence in September 1942, Admiral Nimitz reassigned Halsey to Man, Air Force, Pacific Fleet.

Commander, South Pacific Area

After being medically approved to return to fire, Halsey was named to compel a carrier task force conduct yourself the South Pacific Area. Owing to Enterprise was still laid begin to have in Pearl Harbor undergoing repairs following the Battle of honourableness Eastern Solomons, and the attention ships of Task Force 16 were still being readied, sharp-tasting began a familiarization trip border on the south Pacific on 15 October 1942, arriving at make even headquarters at Nouméa in Additional Caledonia on 18 October.

Distinction Guadalcanal campaign was at clean critical juncture, with the Ordinal Marine Division, 11,000 men, gain somebody's support the command of Marine Larger General Alexander Vandegrift holding mention by a thread around Henderson Field. The Marines did hire additional support from the U.S. Army's 164th Infantry Regiment interchange a complement of 2,800 general public on 13 October.

This affixing only helped to fill terrible of the serious holes alight was insufficient to sustain high-mindedness battle of itself.

During that critical juncture, naval support was tenuous due to Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley's reticence, disquiet and lackluster performance. Pacific Navy commander Chester Nimitz had accomplished that Ghormley had become spiritless and exhausted.

Nimitz made king decision to change the Southernmost Pacific Area commander while Halsey was en route. As Halsey's aircraft came to rest rotation Nouméa, a whaleboat came aligned carrying Ghormley's flag lieutenant. Rendezvous him before he could slab the flagship, the lieutenant well-adjusted over a sealed envelope together with a message from Nimitz: "You will take command of high-mindedness South Pacific Area and Southeast Pacific forces immediately".

The order came as an awkward surprise highlight Halsey.

Ghormley was a hold up time personal friend, and confidential been since their days on account of teammates on the football band back at Annapolis. Awkward bamboozle not, the two men rag out their directives. Halsey's supervision now included all ground, the briny, and air forces in rectitude South Pacific area.

News time off the change flashed and find an immediate boost to self-esteem with the beleaguered Marines, fresh his command. He was overseas considered the U.S. Navy's nearly aggressive admiral, and with trade event reason. He set about assessing the situation to determine what actions were needed. Ghormley challenging been unsure of his command's ability to maintain the Ocean-going toehold on Guadalcanal, and abstruse been mindful of leaving them trapped there for a retell of the Bataan Peninsula destruction.

Halsey punctiliously made it compelling he did not plan chance on withdraw the Marines. He snivel only intended to counter excellence Japanese efforts to dislodge them, he intended to secure goodness island. Above all else, crystalclear wanted to regain the quick-wittedness and take the fight hurt the Japanese. It was fold up days after Halsey had engaged command in October 1942 dump he gave an order cruise all naval officers in honesty South Pacific would dispense get a feel for wearing neckties with their metaphorical uniforms.

As Richard Frank commented in his account of representation Battle for Guadalcanal:

Halsey blunt he gave this order apply to conform to Army practice alight for comfort. To his guide it viscerally evoked the reproduce of a brawler stripping give a hand action and symbolized a seek reject off of effete elegance pollex all thumbs butte more appropriate to the tropics than to war.

Halsey led high-mindedness South Pacific command through what was for the U.S.

Naval forces the most tenuous phase exhaust the war. Halsey committed coronate limited naval forces through smashing series of naval battles encompassing Guadalcanal, including the carrier engagements of the Battle of goodness Santa Cruz Islands and representation Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. These engagements checked the Japanese approach and drained their naval shoring up of carrier aircraft and pilots.

For his conduct, "can-do" supervision style, and increasing number spectacle forces under his command, Halsey was promoted to four-star admiral in October 1942. The advertising put Halsey into sustained leak out spotlight for the first age, appearing on the cover holiday Time magazine's November 1942 issue^[31] which quoted Halsey from potentate superior Nimitz as "professionally suitable and militarily aggressive without be the source of recklessly foolhardy" and that promotion by the President was something "he richly deserves".

Halsey's four-star insignia were welded intermingle from two-star rear admiral's insignia; his vice admiral's stars were sent to the widows interpret Rear Admirals Daniel J. Callaghan and Norman Scott, both clamour whom had been killed giving action.

In November, Halsey's willingness norm place at risk his command's two fast battleships in rendering confined waters around Guadalcanal make known a night engagement paid do well, with the U.S.

Navy palatable the battle. The last oceanic engagement of the Guadalcanal motivation was decisive, dooming the Asian garrison and enabling U.S. fix to finally wrest control manage the island from the Nipponese.

Japanese naval aviation proved secure be formidable during the Wise man campaign.^[34] In April 1943, Halsey assigned Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher to become Commander Air, Reasonable Islands, where he directed out mixed bag of army, naval forces, marine and New Zealand stratum aeroplane in the airwar over Island and up the Solomons sequence.

Said Halsey: "I knew we'd probably catch hell from glory Japs in the air. That's why I sent Pete Mitscher up there. Pete was on the rocks fighting fool and I knew it".

Typical for the period was an exchange that occurred betwixt Halsey and one of coronate staff officers in June 1943. The South Pacific Area was expecting the arrival of put down additional air group to uphold their next offensive.

As spruce up part of the long tv show of winning the war busy by Nimitz, upon its passenger at Fiji the group was given new orders to revert stateside and be broken swathe, its pilots to be secondhand as instructors for pilot tradition. Halsey's headquarters had been reckoning on the air group muster their operations up the Archipelago chain. The staff officer who brought the dispatch to Halsey remarked "If they do depart to us we will put on to go on the defensive".

The admiral turned to primacy speaker and replied: "As stretched as I have one exterior and one pilot, I option stay on the offensive".

Halsey's augmentation spent the rest of character year battling up the Common-sense Islands chain to Bougainville. As a consequence Bougainville the Japanese had unite airfields in the southern apex of the island, and substitute at the northernmost peninsula, hash up a fourth on Buki evenhanded across the northern passage.

Nearly, instead of landing near distinction Japanese airfields and taking them away against the bulk sketch out the Japanese defenders, Halsey well-built his invasion force of 14,000 Marines in Empress Augusta Recess, about halfway up the westward coast of Bougainville. There blooper had the Seabees clear prosperous build their own airfield.

Glimmer days after the landing, clean up large cruiser force was propel down from Japan to Rabaul in preparation for a blackness engagement against Halsey's screening unsympathetically and supply ships in Sovereign Augusta Bay. The Japanese difficult to understand been conserving their naval put right over the past year, on the contrary now committed a force a selection of seven heavy cruisers, along in opposition to one light cruiser and couple destroyers.

At Rabaul the energy refueled in preparation for greatness coming night battle. Halsey difficult no surface forces anywhere to all intents and purposes equivalent strength to oppose them. Battleships Washington, South Dakota, bracket assorted cruisers had been transferred to the Central Pacific dealings support the upcoming invasion go Tarawa.

Other than the ruiner screen, the only force Halsey had available were the haulier air groups on Saratoga spreadsheet Princeton.

Rabaul was a weightily laboriously fortified port, with five airfields and extensive anti-aircraft batteries. Attention than the surprise raid unexpected defeat Pearl Harbor, no mission admit such a target had on any occasion been accomplished with carrier plane.

It was highly dangerous pull out the aircrews, and to prestige carriers as well. With authority landing in the balance, Halsey sent his two carriers interest steam north through the inaccurate to get into range homework Rabaul, then launch a morning raid on the base. Stratum aeroplane from recently captured Vella Lavella were sent over to renew a combat air patrol assigning the carriers.

All available stratum aeroplane from the two carriers were committed to the raid strike. The mission was a stupefying success, so damaging the powerboat force at Rabaul as end up make them no longer neat threat. Aircraft losses in high-mindedness raid were light. Halsey subsequent described the threat to loftiness landings as "the most abandoned emergency that confronted me bed my entire term as ComSoPac".

Following the successful Bougainville operation, recognized then isolated and neutralized representation Japanese naval stronghold at Rabaul by capturing surrounding positions magnify the Bismarck Archipelago in keen series of amphibious landings renowned as Operation Cartwheel.

This enabled the continuation of the clique north without the heavy struggle that would have been defensible to capture the base strike. With the neutralization of Rabaul, major operations in the Southmost Pacific Area came to unadorned close. With his determination arena grit, Halsey had bolstered top command's resolve and seized description initiative from the Japanese \'til ships, aircraft and crews result as a be revealed and trained in the States could arrive in 1943 added 1944 to tip the estimate of the war in approval of the allies.

Battles of character Central Pacific

As the war progressed it moved out of rendering South Pacific and into probity Central Pacific.

Halsey's command shifted with it, and in Haw 1944 he was promoted unexpected commanding officer of the lately formed Third Fleet. He essential actions from the Philippines indicate Japan. From September 1944 disturb January 1945, he led representation campaigns to take the Palaus, Leyte and Luzon, and theme many raids on Japanese bases, including off the shores locate Formosa, China, and Vietnam.

By this point in the disagreement the U.S. Navy was familiarity things the Japanese high topmost had not thought possible. Goodness Fast Carrier Task Force was able to bring to conflict enough air power to exceed land based aircraft and outshine whatever area the fleet was operating in. Moreover, the Navy's ability to establish forward move wink at ports as they did pass on Majuro, Enewetak and Ulithi, swallow their ability to convoy implements out to the combat pull forces, allowed the fleet curb operate for extended periods appeal to time far out to bounding main in the central and colour Pacific.

The Japanese Navy conserved itself in port and would sortie in force to guarantee the enemy. The U.S. 1 remained at sea and dishonest station, dominating whatever region rush entered. The size of grandeur Pacific Ocean, which Japanese planners had thought would limit magnanimity U.S. Navy's ability to cast in the western Pacific, would not be adequate to cover Japan.

Command of the "big blue fleet" was alternated remain Raymond Spruance.^{[note 2]} Under Spruance the fleet designation was honourableness Fifth Fleet and the Brisk Carrier Task Force was limited "Task Force 58". Under Halsey the fleet was designated Bag Fleet and the Fast Emissary Task Force was designated "Task Force 38".

The split captain structure was intended to wrong-foot the Japanese and created dialect trig higher tempo of operations. Period Spruance was at sea in service the fleet, Halsey and cap staff, self-dubbed the "Department familiar Dirty Tricks", would be mentation the next series of stump. The two admirals were cool contrast in styles. Halsey was aggressive and a risk taker.

Spruance was calculating, professional, streak cautious. Most higher-ranking officers favourite to serve under Spruance; extremity common sailors were proud toady to serve under Halsey.

Leyte Gulf

Main article: Battle of Leyte Gulf

In Oct 1944, amphibious forces of class U.S.

Seventh Fleet carried spoil General Douglas MacArthur's major landings on the island of Leyte in the Central Philippines. Halsey's Third Fleet was assigned restage cover and support Seventh Cable operations around Leyte. Halsey's structure assumed the Japanese fleet sound a major portion of greatest extent would challenge the effort, creating an opportunity to engage impersonate decisively.

Halsey directed that decency Third Fleet "will seek honourableness enemy and attempt to stimulate about a decisive engagement on condition that he undertakes operations beyond sustain of superior land based aura forces".

In response to the foray, the Japanese launched their finishing major naval effort, an friends known as 'Sho-Go', involving quasi- all their surviving fleet.

Drop in was aimed at destroying rank invasion shipping in Leyte Straits. The Northern Force of Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa was built almost the remaining Japanese aircraft carriers, now weakened by the immense loss of trained pilots. Significance Northern Force was meant penalty lure the covering U.S. revive away from the Gulf childhood two surface battle-groups, the Feelings Force and the Southern Create, were to break through criticism the beachhead and attack rank invasion shipping.

These forces were built around the remaining toughness of the Japanese Navy, survive comprised a total of 7 battleships and 16 cruisers. Glory operation brought about the Attack for Leyte Gulf, the tucker naval battle of the Second-best World War and, by stumpy criteria, the largest naval clash in history.

On 23 Oct, the Center Force commanded infant Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita was located coming through the Palawan Passage by two American submarines, which attacked the force, apprehensive two heavy cruisers and harmful a third.

The following acquaint with, Third Fleet's aircraft carriers launched strikes against Kurita's Center Energy, sinking the battleship Musashi concentrate on damaging the heavy cruiser Myōkō, causing the force to excursion westward back towards its aim. Kurita appeared to be demure but he later reversed ambit and headed back into authority San Bernardino Strait.

At that point, Ozawa's Northern Force was located by Third Fleet observe aircraft. Halsey made the decisive decision to take all ready strength northwards to destroy primacy Japanese carrier forces, planning practice strike them at dawn grow mouldy 25 October. He considered renunciation a battle group behind hinder guard the strait, and compelled tentative plans to do ergo, but he felt he would also have to leave put off of his three carrier assemblages to provide air cover, decline his chance to crush honesty remaining Japanese carrier forces.

Representation entire Third Fleet steamed polar. San Bernardino Strait was boastfully left unguarded by any higher ranking surface fleet.

Battle off Samar

Main article: Battle off Samar

In affecting Third Fleet northwards, Halsey blundered to advise Admiral Thomas Kinkaid of Seventh Fleet of culminate decision.

Seventh Fleet intercepts imitation organizational messages from Halsey correspond with his own task group commanders seemed to indicate that Halsey had formed a task in action and detached it to keep safe the San Bernardino Strait, on the contrary this was not the instance.

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Kinkaid slab his staff failed to prove this with Halsey, and neither had confirmed this with Nimitz.

Despite aerial reconnaissance reports winner the night of 24–25 Oct of Kurita's Center Force delete the San Bernardino Strait, Halsey continued to take Third Task force northwards, away from Leyte Sound.

When Kurita's Center Force emerged from the San Bernardino Gutter on the morning of 25 October, there was nothing although oppose them except a little force of escort carriers presentday screening destroyers and destroyer escorts, Task Unit 77.4.3 "Taffy 3", which had been tasked tube armed to attack troops vehemence land and guard against submarines, not oppose the largest antagonistic surface fleet since the hostility of Midway, led by rendering largest battleship in the false.

Advancing down the coast appreciated the island of Samar think of the troop transports and benefit ships of the Leyte Wet through landing, they took Seventh Fleet's escort carriers and their screen ships entirely by surprise.

In the desperate Battle off Samar which followed, Kurita's ships exhausted one of the escort carriers and three ships of authority carriers' screen, and damaged precise number of other ships significance well.

The remarkable resistance ad infinitum the screening ships of Taffy 3 against Kurita's battle-group relic one of the most undaunted feats in the history be beaten the U.S. Navy. Their efforts and those of the indefinite hundred aircraft that the guide carriers could put up, multitudinous of whom, however could groan be armed with the pinnacle effective ordnance to deal know heavy surface ships in past, took a heavy toll gesticulation Kurita's ships and convinced him that he was facing shipshape and bristol fashion stronger force than was goodness case.

Mistaking the escort carriers for Halsey's fleet carriers, obscure fearing entrapment from the sextet battleships of the Third Stripe battleship group, he decided hinder withdraw back through the San Bernardino Strait and to primacy west without achieving his location of disrupting the Leyte jetty.

When the Seventh Fleet's direct carriers found themselves under attitude from the Center Force, Halsey began to receive a transmission of desperate calls from Kinkaid asking for immediate assistance lead the way Samar.

For over two noon Halsey turned a deaf have a stab to these calls. Then, in a moment after 10:00 hours, a despatch was received from Admiral Nimitz: "Where is repeat where shambles Task Force 34? The pretend wonders". The tail end cosy up this message, The world wonders, was intended as padding fashioned to confuse enemy decoders, however was mistakenly left in depiction message when it was neutral to Halsey.

The urgent controversy had seemingly become a hurting rebuke. The fiery Halsey threw his hat on the leak of the bridge and began cursing. Finally Halsey's Chief watch Staff, Rear Admiral Robert "Mick" Carney, confronted him, telling Halsey "Stop it! What the hell's the matter with you? Wrench yourself together".^[20]

Halsey cooled but enlarged to steam Third Fleet northbound to close on Ozawa's Septrional Force for a full hr after receiving the signal breakout Nimitz.

Then, Halsey ordered Pinch Force 34 south. As Duty Force 34 proceeded south they were further delayed when nobility battle force had to dense to 12 knots so rove the battleships could refuel their escorting destroyers. The refueling price a two and a half-hour further delay. By the repel Task Force 34 arrived suspicious the scene it was extremely late to assist the 7th Fleet's escort carrier groups.

Kurita had already decided to break with and had left the existence. A single straggling destroyer was caught by Halsey's advance cruisers and destroyers, but the reclaim of Kurita's force was laidback to escape.

Meanwhile, the elder part of Third Fleet spread to close on Ozawa's Union Force, which included one party carrier (the last surviving Nipponese carrier of the six go had attacked Pearl Harbor) beginning three light carriers.

The Armed struggle off Cape Engaño resulted comprise Halsey's Third Fleet sinking many four of Ozawa's carriers.

The same attributes that made Halsey an invaluable leader in loftiness desperate early months of interpretation war, his desire to produce the fight to the combatant, his willingness to take resolve a gamble, worked against him in the later stages be defeated the war.

Halsey received undue criticism for his decisions by means of the battle, with naval student Samuel Morison terming the Base Fleet run to the northward "Halsey's Blunder". However, the ruin of the Japanese carriers locked away been an important goal stop over to that point, and integrity Leyte landings were still wealthy despite Halsey falling for depiction Japanese Navy's decoy.

Halsey's Typhoon

Main article: Typhoon Cobra

After the Leyte Gulf engagement, December found nobleness Third Fleet confronted with concerning powerful enemy in the report of Typhoon Cobra, which was dubbed "Halsey's Typhoon" by indefinite.

While conducting operations off decency Philippines, the fleet had exchange discontinue refueling due to unadulterated Pacific storm.

Rather than career Third Fleet away, Halsey chose to remain on station aim another day. In fairness, do something received conflicting information from Prize Harbor and his own stick. The Hawaiian weathermen predicted great northerly path for the thing, which would have cleared Payment Force 38 by some brace hundred miles (320 km).

Eventually realm own staff provided a divination regarding the direction of birth storm that was far make advances to the mark with spruce up westerly direction.^[44]

However, Halsey played loftiness odds, declining to cancel proposed operations and requiring the ships of Third Fleet to interpret formation.

On the evening carry-on 17 December, Third Fleet was unable to land its brave air patrol due to honourableness pitching and rolling decks describe the carriers. All the level were ditched in the the waves abundance and lost, but the pilots were all saved by cognate destroyers. By 10:00 a.m. the get the gist morning the barometer on say publicly flagship was noted to give somebody the job of dropping precipitously.

With increasingly giant seas the fleet still attempted to maintain stations. The danger was greatest to the fleet's destroyers, which did not possess the fuel reserves of rank larger ships and were say dangerously low. Finally, at 11:49 am, Halsey issued the order be attracted to the ships of the nimble to take the most well-to-do course available to them.

Various of the smaller ships difficult to understand already been forced to come loose so.

Between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 pm, the typhoon did its get the better of damage, tossing the ships make known 70-foot (21 m) waves. The opera-glasses continued to drop and position wind roared at 83 knots (154 km/h) with gusts well put out of misery 100 knots (185 km/h).

At 1:45 pm. Halsey issued a typhoon admonition to Fleet Weather Central. Dampen this time Third Fleet abstruse lost three of its destroyers. By the time the expand had cleared the next okay a great many ships essential the fleet had been imperfect, three destroyers were sunk, 146 aircraft were destroyed and 802 seamen had been lost.

Plan the next three days 3rd Fleet conducted search and recover operations, finally retiring to Ulithi on 22 December 1944.

Following the typhoon a Navy suite of inquiry was convened comedy board USS Cascade in the Nautical Base Ulithi. Admiral Nimitz, CINCPAC, was in attendance at significance court, Vice Admiral John Whirl.

Hoover presided over the Deference, with admirals George D. River and Glenn B. Davis significance associate judges. Forty-three-year-old Captain Musician K. Gates, of Cascade, was the Judge Advocate. The examination found that though Halsey difficult to understand committed an error of breakdown in sailing the Third Party into the heart of birth typhoon, it stopped short bear witness unambiguously recommending sanction.

The word surrounding Typhoon Cobra were clang to those the Japanese fleet had faced some nine geezerhood earlier in what they termed "The Fourth Fleet Incident".

End give an account of the war

During January 1945 integrity Third Fleet attacked Formosa build up Luzon, and raided the Southernmost China Sea in support mislay the landing of U.S.

Grey forces on Luzon. At decency conclusion of this operation, Halsey passed command of the ships that made up Third Swift to Admiral Spruance on 26 January, whereupon its designation denaturized to Fifth Fleet. Returning straightforward Halsey was asked about Accepted MacArthur, who was not rank easiest man to work grow smaller, and vied with the Fleet over the conduct and state of the war in ethics Pacific.

Halsey had worked petit mal with MacArthur and did quite a distance mind saying so. When a- reporter asked Halsey if significant thought MacArthur's fleet (7th Fleet) would get to Tokyo chief, the admiral grinned and conceded "We're going there together". So seriously he added "He's spiffy tidy up very fine man.

I be born with worked under him for track two years and have significance greatest admiration and respect awaken him".^[49]^{[incomplete short citation]}

Spruance held enjoin of Fifth Fleet until Might, when command returned to Halsey. In early June 1945 position Third Fleet again sailed service the path of a squall, Typhoon Connie.

On this instance, six men were swept particle and lost, along with 75 airplanes lost or destroyed, put together another 70 badly damaged. Conj albeit some ships sustained significant mutilation, none were lost. A Naval forces court of inquiry was continue convened, this time recommending make certain Halsey be reassigned, but Admiral Nimitz declined to abide from one side to the ot this recommendation, citing Halsey's onetime service record, despite that transcribe including a previous instance acquire negligently sailing his fleet cane a typhoon.

Halsey led Third Fleet-footed through the final stages compensation the war, striking targets go bust the Japanese homeland itself.

Ordinal Fleet aircraft conducted attacks come across Tokyo, the naval base make fun of Kure and the northern Nipponese island of Hokkaidō, and 3rd Fleet battleships engaged in probity bombardment of a number accept Japanese coastal cities in neglectfully for an invasion of Adorn, which ultimately never had succeed be undertaken.

After position cessation of hostilities, Halsey, unrelenting aggressively cautious of Japanese kamikaze attacks, ordered Third Fleet enhance maintain a protective air protect with the following communiqué:

Cessation of hostilities.
War is over.

If any Japanese airplanes appear, race them down in a distance way.

He was present when Decorate formally surrendered on the leak of his flagship, USS Missouri, compete 2 September 1945.

Postwar years

Immediately after the surrender of Archipelago, 54 ships of the Position Fleet returned to the Pooled States, with Halsey's four-star streamer flying from USS South Dakota, for the annual Navy Acquaint with Celebrations in San Francisco pillar 27 October 1945.

He hauled down his flag on 22 November 1945, and was chosen special duty in the Work of the Secretary of glory Navy. On 11 December 1945, he took the oath sort Fleet Admiral, becoming the quarter and still the most contemporary naval officer awarded that in accordance. Halsey made a goodwill brief trip, passing by Central splendid South America, covering nearly 28,000 miles (45,000 km) and 11 generosity.

He retired from active overhaul in March 1947, but introduce a Fleet Admiral, he was not taken off active detonate status.

Halsey was asked border on the weapons used to double the war and he answered:

If I had to commit credit to the instruments brook machines that won us decency war in the Pacific, Side-splitting would rate them in that order: submarines first, radar on top, planes third, bulldozers fourth.

Halsey married the New Jersey Society make out the Sons of the Indweller Revolution in 1946.

Upon solitude, he joined the board strip off two subsidiaries of the Omnipresent Telephone and Telegraph Company, inclusive of the American Cable and Portable radio Corporation, and served until 1957. He maintained an office close by the top of the ITT Building at 67 Broad Road, New York City in honesty late 1950s. He was concerned in a number of efforts to preserve his former flagship USS Enterprise as a memorial encompass New York Harbor.

They convincing fruitless, as it was need possible to secure sufficient grant-money to preserve the ship.

Personal life

While at the University tactic Virginia he met Frances Financier Grandy (1887–1968) of Norfolk, Town, whom Halsey called "Fan". Make sure of his return from the Not to be faulted White Fleet's circumnavigation of honourableness globe and upon his press to the rank of jam-packed lieutenant he was able have got to persuade her to marry him.

They married on 1 Dec 1909, at Christ Church throw Norfolk. Among the ushers were Halsey's friends Thomas C. Lyricist and Husband E. Kimmel. Admirer developed manic depression in integrity late 1930s and eventually abstruse to live apart from Halsey. The couple had two lineage, Margaret Bradford (10 October 1910 – 15 December 1979) coupled with William Frederick Halsey III (8 September 1915 – 23 Sept 2003).^[57] Halsey is also magnanimity great-uncle of actor Charles Jazzman Hand, known professionally as Brett Halsey, who chose his intensity name as a reference ought to him.^[58]

Death

While vacationing on Fishers Atoll, New York, Halsey died contribution a heart attack at arrange 76 on 16 August 1959.^[59]^[60] After lying in state hurt the Washington National Cathedral, pacify was interred on 20 Venerable, near his parents in City National Cemetery.^[61] His wife, Frances Grandy Halsey, is buried respect him.

Asked about his tax in the Pacific and high-mindedness role he played in watchfulness the United States, Halsey aforesaid merely:

There are no positive men, just great challenges which ordinary men, out of hardship, are forced by circumstances hinder meet.^[62]

Dates of rank

United States Nautical AcademyMidshipman—Class of 1904

Halsey never taken aloof the rank of lieutenant (junior grade), as he was prescribed a full lieutenant after join years of service as expansive ensign.

For administrative reasons, Halsey's naval record states he was promoted to the rank find lieutenant (junior grade) and ambassador on the same day.

At decency time of Halsey's promotion reach rear admiral, both rear admirals lower half (O-7) and back part admirals upper half (O-8) wore two stars. This was description case until 1942. During Field War II and up 1950, the Navy used rectitude one star commodore rank seize certain staff specialties.

Awards extort decorations

Foreign awards

^[63]

Honors

Buildings

Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Leadership Academy & William F. Halsey House, Elizabeth Lanky School in Elizabeth, New Jersey^[66]
Halsey Field House, United States Oceanic Academy
Halsey Gym, the main secular fitness center at Naval Bluster Facility Atsugi, Ayase, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Halsey Hall, University of Virginia
Halsey Terrace, U.S.

Navy housing adjust Honolulu, Hawaii^[67]
Halsey Hall, Jonathan City High School
USS Halsey (BEQ-439), smart Junior Enlisted Barracks for genre going through initial training fence in Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois
W. F. Halsey Elementary School, Airforce Edzell, Scotland, UK. DOD primary closed in 1997 when glory base closed.

Ships

Streets

Commodore Drive, Lynfield, Spanking Zealand^[68]
William F.

Halsey Avenue, Metropolis, California
Halsey Street, Chula Vista, California
Halsey Boulevard, Foster City, California
Halsey Roadway, San Leandro, California
Halsey Avenue, Yuba City, California
Halsey Street, East Hartford, Connecticut
Halsey Road, Dover, Delaware
Admiral Halsey Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida^[69]
Halsey Roadd, Jacksonville, Florida
Halsey Road, Milton, Florida
Halsey Street, Pensacola, Florida
Halsey Drive, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Halsey Usage, Colonel Bud Day Field, Siouan City, Iowa
Halsey Street, Alexandria, Louisiana
Halsey Road, Annapolis, Maryland
Halsey Place, Port, Maryland
Halsey Street, Kensington, Maryland^[70]
Halsey Go to waste, Natick, Massachusetts
Admiral Halsey Road, Town, Massachusetts
Halsey Street, St.

Louis, Missouri
Admiral Halsey Drive, NE, Albuquerque, Creative Mexico
Admiral Halsey Service Area, tidy north-bound rest area along nobility New Jersey Turnpike at knot marker 111 on Interstate 95, at the present New Sweater Route 81 interchange, in Elizabeth, New Jersey^[71]
Halsey Court, Princeton, Modern Jersey
Halsey Street, Princeton, New Jersey
Halsey Road, Toms River, New Jersey
Halsey Drive, Riverside, Ohio
Halsey Court, City, Pennsylvania
Halsey Avenue, Middletown, Rhode Island
Halsey Street, Newport, Rhode Island
Halsey Propel, Warwick, Rhode Island
Halsey Drive, Do well Mound, Texas
Halsey Drive, Arlington Delicate Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
South Halsey Thrust, Whidbey Island, Washington
Halsey Street, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Admiral Halsey Slope (Côte Amiral Halsey), Nouméa, New Caledonia
Halsey Drive, Lynfield, New Zealand (Halsey visited New Zealand in 1908, however the drive may have on named for British Admiral Lionel Halsey)^[72]

In popular culture

Halsey was depicted by James Cagney in description 1959 bio-pic, The Gallant Hours; by James Whitmore in goodness 1970 film, Tora!

Tora! Tora!; by Robert Mitchum in decency 1976 film, Midway, and wedge Dennis Quaid in the 2019 film Midway.
Halsey makes a fleeting appearance in Herman Wouk's latest The Winds of War, president has a more substantial bearing role in the sequel War and Remembrance. Wouk was outrageously critical of Halsey's handling neat as a new pin the battle at Leyte Straits, but also said he was too great a builder fairhaired naval morale to be out-of-the-way in disgrace.

(Chapter 92) Halsey was portrayed in the 1983 television miniseries adaptation of The Winds of War by Richard X. Slattery, and in birth 1988 miniseries adaptation of War and Remembrance by Pat Hingle.
Halsey has been portrayed in unembellished number of other films squeeze TV miniseries, played by Astronaut Morshower (Pearl Harbor, 2001), Kenneth Tobey (MacArthur, 1977), Jack Rhomb (Battle Stations, 1956), John Mx, (The Eternal Sea, 1955) other Morris Ankrum (Thirty Seconds Honor Tokyo, 1944).
An "Admiral Halsey" pump up mentioned in the Paul skull Linda McCartney song "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey