The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Fleet Admiral William (Bull) Halsey, Jr. USN - Apr. 19th, 2003

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq36-5.htm ^

[SAMWolf]

Dear Lord,

There's a young man far from home,
called to serve his nation in time of war;
sent to defend our freedom
on some distant foreign shore.

We pray You keep him safe,
we pray You keep him strong,
we pray You send him safely home ...
for he's been away so long.

There's a young woman far from home,
serving her nation with pride.
Her step is strong, her step is sure,
there is courage in every stride.
We pray You keep her safe,
we pray You keep her strong,
we pray You send her safely home ...
for she's been away too long.

Bless those who await their safe return.
Bless those who mourn the lost.
Bless those who serve this country well,
no matter what the cost.

Author Unknown

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FReepers from the The Foxhole
join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time.

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Fleet Admiral
William Frederick Halsey, Jr. USN

(1882-1959)

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William Frederick Halsey, Jr., was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on October 30, 1882, the son of the late Captain William F. Halsey, U. S. Navy. As a Navy junior, he made the usual round of schools prior to his appointment to the Naval Academy. President McKinley gave him an appointment in 1900.

While at the Naval Academy he distinguished himself in class committees and athletics, but not in scholarship. He was a member of the "Lucky Bag" yearbook staff, won his letter in football as a fullback and was president of the Athletic Association. As a First Classman, he had his name engraved on the Thompson Trophy Cup as the Midshipman who had done the most during the year for the promotion of athletics.

Upon graduation in February 1904, he was assigned to USS Missouri and later transferred to USS Don Juan de Austria in which he was commissioned an Ensign after having completed the two years at sea -- then required by law. In 1907, he joined USS Kansas and made the famous World Cruise of the Fleet in that battle ship.

For the next almost 25 years practically all his sea duty with the Fleet was in destroyers, starting in 1909 with command of USS DuPont (TB-7 commissioned in 1897), USS Lamson, USS Flusser and USS Jarvis. In 1915 he went ashore for two years of duty in the Executive Department at the Naval Academy.

During WWI he served in the Queenstown Destroyer Force in command of USS Benham and USS Shaw. From 1918 to 1921 he continued his destroyer service in command of USS Yarnell, USS Chauncey, USS John Francis Burnes and Destroyer Division Thirty-two. In October of 1920 he assumed command of USS Wickes and of Destroyer Division Fifteen. At that time a destroyer division commander also commanded the division flagship. Another shore cruise sent him to duty in the Office of Naval Intelligence, in Washington, -- which was his only duty assignment in that city. In October 1922, he was ordered as Naval Attache at the American Embassy in Berlin, Germany. One year later, he was given additional duty as Naval Attache at the American Embassies in Christiana, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Stockholm, Sweden.

On completion of that cruise he returned to sea duty, again in the destroyers in European waters, in command of USS Dale and USS Osborne. Upon his return to the U.S. in 1927, he served one year as Executive Officer of the battleship USS Wyoming -- and then for three years in command of USS Reina Mercedes, station ship at the Naval Academy. He continued his destroyer duty on his next two-years at cruise starting in 1930 as Commander Destroyer Division Three of the Scouting Force. In 1932 he went as a student to the Naval War College.



Then in 1934, he embarked on his aviation career when he reported to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola for flight training. He was designated a Naval Aviator on 15 May 1935, and went in command of the carrier USS Saratoga for two years, followed by one year in command of the Naval Air Station, Pensacola. In 1938, when he reached flag rank, he held successive commands of Carrier Division Two in USS Yorktown and Carrier Division One in Saratoga. In 1940, he became Commander Aircraft Battle Force with the rank of Vice Admiral. He was in USS Enterprise in that command when World War II broke out. In April 1942 he was designated Commander Task Force Sixteen, in Enterprise to escort the carrier USS Hornet to within 800 miles of Tokyo to launch the Army planes for the initial bombing of Japan.

In October l942 he was made Commander South Pacific Forces and South Pacific Area. With the rank of Admiral, and for the next 18 months he was in command of that area during the offensive operations of the U. S. Forces. In June 1944 he assumed command of the Third Fleet, and was designated Commander Western Pacific Task Forces. As such, he operated successfully against the Japanese in the Palaies, Philippines, Formosa, Okinawa and South China Sea. Subsequent to the Okinawa campaign in July 1945, his forces struck at Tokyo and the Japanese mainland. The last attack of his forces was on 13 August 1945. Admiral Halsey's flag was flying on USS Missouri on 2 September in Tokyo Bay when the formal Japanese surrender was signed onboard.

Immediately thereafter, 54 ships of the Third Fleet, with his four-star flag in USS South Dakota, returned to the United States for annual Navy Day Celebrations in San Francisco on 27 October 1945. He hauled down his flag in November of that year and was assigned special duty in the office of the Secretary of the Navy. On December 11, 1945, he took the oath as Fleet Admiral becoming the fourth and last officer to hold the rank.



Later, Fleet Admiral Halsey made a goodwill flying trip through Central and South America covering nearly 28,000 miles, and 11 nations. He was relieved of active duty in December 1946, and upon his own request transferred to the retired list on 1 March 1947. Upon retirement, he joined the board of two subsidiaries of the International Telephone and Telegraph Company and served until 1957. He was active in an unsuccessful effort to preserve the USS Enterprise as a national shrine, and was an elected Honorary Vice President of the Naval Historical Foundation.

He died on 16 August 1959 at Fishers Island Country Club.

PROMOTIONS

Graduated from Naval Academy - Class of 1904
Ensign - February 2, 1906
Lieutenant (junior grade) - February 2, 1909
Lieutenant - February 2, 1909
Lieutenant Commander - August 29, 1916
Commander - February 1, 1918
Captain - February 10, 1927
Rear Admiral - March 1, 1938
Vice Admiral - June 13, 1940
Admiral - November 18, 1942
Fleet Admiral - December 11, 1945

DECORATIONS AND AWARDS

Navy Cross
Distinguished Service Medal with three gold stars
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Mexican Service Medal
Victory Medal, Destroyer Clasp
American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Philippine Liberation Medal

The guided missile frigate (later guided missile cruiser) USS Halsey (DLG-23, later CG-23), 1963-1994, was named in honor of Fleet Admiral Halsey.

[SAMWolf]

Pfc. Lori Piestewa

Beautiful Tribute, FishHawk
Thanks for posting it at the Foxhole and reminding us of her Service

The uncle of Pfc. Lori Piestewa, left, facing camera, hugs an unidentified family friend outside the Piestewa family home on the Navajo Reservation in Tuba City, Ariz., Saturday, April 5, 2003

Members of the Fort Huachuca Color Guard of Sierra Vista, Ariz., stand in the parking lot of the Tuba City High School in Tuba City, Ariz., Saturday, April 12, 2003, before presenting a helmet with Pfc. Lori Piestewa's name on it to memorial inside of the high school. Thousands of people attended the memorial service for Piestewa, the first U.S. servicewoman killed in the war on Iraq.(AP Photo/Tom Hood)

Citizens wait in line outside the Tuba City High School gym in Tuba City, Ariz., while waiting to pay respect to Pfc. Lori Piestewa at a memorial service Saturday, April 12, 2003. (AP Photo/Tom Hood)

Havasupai Indian Tribe member Uqualla enters the Tuba City High School gym in Tuba City, Ariz., to honor Pfc. Lori Piestewa Saturday, April 12, 2003. Thousands of people from across the southwest came to this small northern Arizona town for her memorial service. Piestewa was killed in action in Iraq earlier this month.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Light Speed

[SAMWolf]

Thanks KeyWest.

The Marianas Turkey Shoot is Scheduled as a topic at the Foxhole.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Snippy.

[SAMWolf]

Oh I'm so jealous! I want a newer, bigger,faster machine sooooooooo bad!! Good luck on getting the new one up and running.

[SAMWolf]

Hey! Feather! Good to see you.

Missed seeing you open the Foxhole the last few days.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Spooky.

[SAMWolf]

1775 Battle of Lexington & Concord-American Revolution

Lexington, Massachusetts -- April 19, 1775

In the early hours of April 19, 1775, Capt. John Parker was alerted to mobilize the Lexington Company of the Middlesex County Brigade, Massachusetts Militia, in anticipation of a British 700-man force that was marching to Concord to capture provincial arms. By 2 a.m. Parker had mustered his company on the Lexington Green.

The Lexington Company of militia was typical of the period. The youngest militiaman was 18, the oldest 63; eight fathers and sons served together. Most were farmers, while some were veterans of the French and Indian War.

Just after sunrise Parker and his 77 militiamen stood in defiance of the British advance guard. "Stand your ground," Parker ordered. "Don't fire unless fired upon. But, if they want to have a war, let it begin here." Maj. John Pitcairn, commander of the British advance guard, ordered the militiamen to lay down their arms. Realizing that his company was outnumbered, Parker ordered his men to disperse. As the militiamen began to break ranks, a British officer fired his pistol. Without orders, the British troops opened fire. Although greatly outnumbered, the militiamen returned the fire. The battle went on for several minutes, all around the Green. When it was over, eight Americans lay dead and nine were wounded. The British quickly resumed their march. Later that morning, Capt. Parker reorganized his unit and marched to Concord.

The Lexington Company would later fight in the Battle of Bunker Hill and form a company for service in the Continental Army. However, few of its members on that fateful April morning realized that the Battle of Lexington would lead to the Revolutionary War and American independence.

The Lexington Company and the Middlesex County Brigade are perpetuated by the 181st and 182nd Infantry Regiments, Massachusetts Army National Guard.

[weldgophardline]

Great posts Bull was not one to run and it did get him in trouble some what I can see. This thread is so rich in history and fact I love it. We off to do some Freeping this mnoring and this afternoon. Stay dry and warm.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the compliment weldgophardline. We're glad you enjoy.

[snippy_about_it]

It appears I am missing some parts...and so is my new computer. lol. It's like Saddam's brothers, half of one here, half of one there.

[Jen]

Good afternoon (here anyway) Sam!! Wow, this is a good thread. Wish I had more time to read and learn about history today, but... as usual... I've procrastinated (What you say???) and have school stuff to get done and errands, and house cleaning. ICK!!! I just wanna FReep! hahaha

Hope to back later.

[Jen]

Good afternoon bump.

Love your tagline!

[Jen]

Thank you fish hawk for the beautiful poem in tribute of Pfc. Lori Piestewa. It's nice to see some poetry in the Foxhole again. Please visit us often.

[JustAmy]

Thanks for the thread, Sam.
Interesting history lesson this morning.
You continue to do an outstanding job with the Foxhole!

[JustAmy]

Thanks for the ping, Jen!

[Jen]

Hello Snippy! Happy Easter to you and your loved ones too.

Congrats on your new computer. I'm having some recurring problems with mine and I'm ready for a new one too. Soon, I hope!

See you later!

[Jen]

Hi Bentfeather. Nice to see you. Did you leave me any coffee??

[Jen]

Howdy!!!!!!

[SAMWolf]

I don't know what's worse. A missing part or having parts left over when you're done when you know you didn't have any "extra" parts.