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Raymond Spruance

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Military Personnel

The Resume

    (July 3, 1886-December 13, 1969)
    Born in Baltimore, Maryland
    Admiral
    Commanded Task Force 16 during the Battle of Midway (June 4-7, 1942)
    Directed Operation Hailstorm against the Japanese naval base on Truk (February 17-18, 1944)
    Commanded US Naval forces during the Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19-20, 1944)
    President of the Naval War College (1946-48)
    US Ambassador to the Philippines (1952-53)
    Namesake for the Spruance class of destroyers

Why he might be annoying:

    He has been criticized for being insufficiently aggressive and not pursuing the Japanese fleets after Midway and the Philippine Sea.
    After World War II, with the US Navy limited to four Fleet Admirals, he lost the last Fleet Admiral position to William F. Halsey.
    He said, 'Some people believe that when I am quiet that I am thinking some deep and important thoughts, when the fact is, I am thinking of nothing at all. My mind is blank.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was nicknamed 'the quiet warrior' for his calm during crisis.
    While he admitted that continuing after the Japanese carriers following the Battle of the Philippine Sea would have been 'more satisfactory,' his orders had been to protect the invasion force landing at Saipan.
    His superior, Admiral Ernest J. King, told him, 'Spruance, you did a damn fine job there. No matter what other people tell you, your decision was correct.'
    When his flagship, the battleship USS New Mexico, was struck by two kamikaze,, he joined the crew manning the fire hoses (May 12, 1945).
    In addition to the expected Naval decorations, he received the Army's Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his leadership in coordinating Army and Navy actions in the Pacific Theater.
    He continued walking eight to ten miles a day well into his 70s.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 0% Annoying