World War II Honoree

Chester William Nimitz

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Fredericksburg, Texas

Honored By

Captain Richard J. Laulor, USNR (Ret.)

TEN DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, HE WAS SELECTED AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31. ON MARCH 24, 1942, THE U.S.-BRITISH COMBINED CHIEFS OF STAFF DESIGNATED THE PACIFIC THEATER AN AREA OF AMERICAN STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITY. ON MARCH 30, THE U.S. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF DESIGNATED HIM AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS, WITH OPERATIONAL CONTROL OVER ALL ALLIED UNITS (AIR, LAND, SEA) IN THAT AREA. HE SHIFTED FROM DEFENSIVE TO OFFENSIVE AND DEFEATED THE JAPANESE NAVY IN THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA, BATTLE OF MIDWAY AND IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. ON DECEMBER 14, 1944, BY ACT OF CONGRESS, THE RANK OF FLEET ADMIRAL WAS ESTABLISHED. ON DECEMBER 15, PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT APPOINTED HIM TO THAT RANK. IN THE FINAL PHASES OF THE PACIFIC WAR, HE ATTACKED THE MARIANA ISLANDS, DEFEATED THE JAPANESE FLEET IN THE BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA, AND CAPTURED SAIPAN, GUAM AND TINIAN. HIS FORCES CAPTURED PELELIU, ANGAUR, AND ULITHI. HIS SHIPS DEFEATED THE JAPANESE FLEET IN THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF IN OCTOBER 1944. HIS FLEET CONDUCTED SUCCESSFUL AMPHIBIOUS ATTACKS ON IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA. ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, HE SIGNED FOR THE UNITED STATES AT THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF JAPAN ABOARD THE USS MISSOURI. ON DECEMBER 15, 1945, HE WAS SWORN IN AS CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. HONORS AND AWARDS: NAVY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL (3), ARMY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.