personality profile 69 Admiral William Frederick Halsey by Ruben Pang IntRoductIon Early Years fleet admiral William halsey was born in elizabeth, frederick halsey (30 october new Jersey to a family of naval 1882 – 16 august 1959) was a tradition. his father was a captain united states navy (USN) officer in the USN. hasley naturally who served in both the first and followed in his footsteps, second World Wars (WWi and enrolling in the united states WWII). he was commander of (US) naval academy in 1900.3 the south pacific area during as a cadet, he held several the early years of the pacific extracurricular positions. he War against Japan and became played full-back for the football http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Halsey.JPG commander of the third fleet team, became president of the Fleet Admiral William Frederick Halsey for the remainder of the war, athletic association, and as during which he supported first classman “had his name general douglas macarthur’s engraved on the thompson advance on the philippines in trophy cup as the midshipman 1944. over the course of war, who had done most during halsey earned the reputation the year for the promotion of of being one of america’s most athletics.”4 aggressive fighting admirals, often driven by instinct over from 1907 to 1909, he gained intellect. however, his record substantial maritime experience also includes unnecessary losses while sailing with the “great at leyte gulf and damage to his White fleet” in a global third fleet during the typhoon circumnavigation.5 in 1909, of 1944 or “hasley’s typhoon,” halsey received instruction in the violent tempest that sank torpedoes with the reserve three destroyers and swept torpedo flotilla in charleston, away 146 naval aircraft. today, carolina and commenced his admiral halsey is remembered service aboard his first torpedo as a “first to last” combatant of boat, USS Du Pont.6 WWII.1 he led raids on Japanese bases at the gilbert, marshall First WoRld War and Wake islands in response to during WWi, halsey served the pearl harbor attack and was with the destroyer force in also present at the Japanese Queenstown, ireland. he surrender aboard his flagship, temporarily served aboard USS Missouri in tokyo Bay, where USS Duncan before assuming hostilities were brought to an command of the USS Benham 2 end. (february 1918) and USS Shaw POINTER, Journal of the singapore armed forces Vol.38 no.4 personality profile 70 (may 1918). for his courageous Interwar Years for the highest qualification leadership in commanding both possible, opting for the twelve- during the interwar years, he destroyers through treacherous week pilot course instead of represented the US navy briefly waters, halsey was awarded the the abridged aviation observer as an attaché in denmark, navy cross with the following program. upon graduation from germany, norway and sweden.8 citation: the course in may 1935, halsey’s By 1932, hasley had been the new aviator wings and command for distinguished service in captain of twelve different experience opened new doors.11 the line of his profession as torpedo boats and destroyers, he went on to take command commanding officer of the commanded three destroyer of the carrier USS Saratoga. USS Benham and the USS Shaw, divisions, and served as the soon, in 1937, halsey returned engaged in the important, executive officer of the USS to shore and assumed position exacting, and hazardous duty of Wyoming.9 as the commander of naval air patrolling the waters infested station, pensacola.12 By this with enemy submarines and in 1934, responding to time, he had made a name for mines, in escorting and the shortage of naval aviator- himself as one of the leading protecting vitally important qualified commanders, hasley aircraft carrier commanders convoy of troops and supplies attended a condensed naval and was awarded the rank of through these waters, and in aviation course catered to rear admiral on march 1, 1938, offensive and defensive action, senior officers in pensacola, effectively proving his worth to vigorously and unremittingly florida, at the age of 51.10 With those who had initially doubted prosecuted against all forms of the aid of a waiver allowing him his ability to convert to naval enemy naval activity.7 to fly bespectacled, he strived aviation.13 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Gambier_Bay_%28CVE-73%29_and_escorts_making_smoke_off_Samar_1944.jpeg USS Gambier Bay and her escorts amidst a smoke screen off Samar POINTER, Journal of the singapore armed forces Vol.38 no.4 personality profile 71 US Navy, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Cowpens_%28CVL-25%29_during_Typhoon_Cobra.jpg A view from USS Cowpens around the time Typhoon Cobra hit the Third Fleet on 18 December 1944 Second WoRld War several scout aircraft which the Japanese soil after pearl the carrier dispatched were harbor. in a one-way trip, the Pearl Harbor caught in the middle of the bombing raiders fanned out, after stints leading two attack and shot down.15 When successful hitting “ten targets carrier divisions, carrier division halsey witnessed the scale of in tokyo, two in Yokohama, two aboard USS Yorktown and destruction upon returning and one each in Kobe, osaka, carrier division one aboard to pearl harbor, true to his nagoya, and Yokosuka.”18 the USS Saratoga, halsey received nature, he promised, “Before aggressive raid substantially his third star in June 1940, we’re through with them, the raised american morale and commanding aircraft, Battle Japanese language will be also pressured the Japanese force, pacific fleet aboard the spoken only in hell.”16 into redirecting fighter planes aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. to defend their home islands.19 he was on this carrier, returning dolittle Raid With this successful mission, to pearl harbor after delivering in the demoralizing months hasley spurred his men on with marine fighter planes to Wake after pearl harbor, halsey his slogan “hit hard, hit fast, hit island, when the Japanese successfully led task force 16 often.”20 attacked on the morning of within 800 miles of Japan to 7 december 1941.14 While bad launch the famed doolittle Guadalcanal campaign weather delayed the Enterprise’s raid on 18 april 1942.17 the on 18 november, hasley arrival at pearl harbor, sparing audacious raid was the first was promoted to admiral her from a disastrous fate, american retaliation to reach after replacing admiral robert POINTER, Journal of the singapore armed forces Vol.38 no.4 personality profile 72 ghormley as commander south he provided cover for the and dealt just enough damage pacific forces and south amphibious assault on peleliu to cause Vice admiral Kurita pacific area, “contemporary before moving on to support to retreat—he feared and explanations for ghormley’s Vice admiral thomas Kinkaid’s anticipated a aerial raid from replacement share the seventh fleet in the leyte gulf.23 halsey’s carriers to follow.29 common theme that he lacked halsey realized his mistake and aggressiveness, but this was the Japanese combined raced his ships back towards really a symptom of defeatism, fleet’s commander, admiral leyte, however his failure a disease that had become toyoda, planned to counter the to clearly communicate his rampant at his headquarters.”21 US invasion of the philippines intentions had left the invasion hasley’s ready-to-fight by using his remaining carriers, fleet vulnerable, severely reputation and instinct was rendered combat ineffective affecting his reputation.30 the remedy that the south due to lack of sufficient pilots pacific fleet needed. and aircraft, under Vice admiral the storms ozawa as bait.24 the plan was on 17 december 1944, hasley during the 26 october 1942 for them to draw US attention once again found himself caught Battle of santa cruz, halsey away from leyte, while he off-guard—this time by mother led two aircraft carriers, one summoned his remaining ships nature. although worsening battleship (the USS South to attack the landing force— weather had started to cause Dakota) and a few cruisers and and it worked.25 problems for his refueling fleet, destroyers against Vice admiral he chose to remain in position, Kondo nobutake, who had four Believing that the Japanese ignoring warnings.31 the next carriers, four battleships and forces were retreating after day, the storm had become a several cruisers and destroyers.22 victories over attacking fully-formed typhoon, bringing although the aircraft carrier USS Japanese surface ships on 23 90-knot winds and forceful Hornet was sunk, leaving the and 24 october, halsey chased waves. only then did halsey USN with only the badly these carriers north without order his fleet to steer away damaged USS Enterprise as properly communicating his from the storm. however, it their sole aircraft carrier in intentions to nimitz or Kinkaid.26 was too late: 790 men were lost the pacific, halsey inflicted although he was successful in along with three destroyers and crippling damage on the pursing and destroying ozawa’s 146 aircraft.32 Japanese naval aviation force— carrier force, halsey found which lost approximately 150 himself too far away from the on 5 June 1945, halsey aircrews, including nearly every US invasion fleet and landing steered his fleet into another squadron and flight leader forces to provide support.27 typhoon. this storm formed they dispatched. as it would this led to the Battle off samar, around 1 June north of palau take several months for the one of the few major battles and was being tracked on 4 Japanese to replace their pilots, where american forces found June as halsey was refueling. this meant that the americans themselves unprepared against halsey refused to believe that had air superiority in following a more powerful opposing force, the storm could speed across engagements.