Second Saturday: Nimitz at War

RADM Sonny Masso interviews Craig L. Symonds about his new book, Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay.

[@pamelaklemp5615]

My father was an "at sea" rescued survivor of the USS ABELE. Admiral Nimitz personally pinned on my Dad's Purple Heart 💜 when visiting the wounded in hospital in Hawaii. Dad's ship fell victim to both a BOKA and was Torpedoed, sinking it on the day President FDR died (US timeline date). At time of rescue, my Dad was declared dead by the rescue ship retrieving the floating dead as well as the floating survivors. My Dad's love for the NAVY never wavered and throughout my childhood years we would holiday returning to Norfork Naval Yard as part of our Florida family vacations. I have his Purple Heart 💜, Presidential Citations and Ribbon Pins. May the Lord G_d forever bless our US 🇺🇸 military forces and our strong Alliances who support us.

[@LeonardCooperman]

What a wonderful interview. These men had so much to deal with, I can’t imagine. Navigating a war and all the politics.

[@dennisweidner288]

Adm Gormely was on a ship because he refused to be decisive with the French on New Caledonia. They not only did not provide him comfortable quarters but refused to provide sites for needed warehouses. As a result, supply ships were backing up in the harbor. This was part of the problem getting supplies to the Marines on Guadalcanal. And Gormley was probably chosen because of his diplomatic experience -- thinking diplomacy was needed in dealing with the French. At the time many French officials were still loyal to Vichy. Halsey put an end to the diplomacy. He marched into the French administrative office backed by armed marines and started giving orders about what was going to happen on New Caledonia.

[@jasonyoung7635]

ADr Ghormley was the right man to take care of the french (which king hated, nimitz somewhat not a fan) in a peaceful way, and Ghormley knew that and did it accordingly, but did not work out ,French was pretty hostile to American especiall at that time (even probably to this day), then problems occur due to that. and Reluctantly, With Nimitz' suggestion, Halsey was in charge few months later, expected to just buldoze his way into French's Authority, and got things done. Ghormley was a great officer, just it was very difficult situation he was put in.

[@dennisweidner288]

@@jasonyoung7635 Much of what you say is correct. But he was not the right man to take care of the French. Because of their lack of cooperation, supply ships were backed up in Nomea and not reaching the Marines. Halsy was the right man --the supplies began reaching the Marines. And I do not think that Gormely was a 'great' admiral. Halsey, Nimitz, and King were great admirals. They got things done. Gormely was not an evil man. He was simply in over his head.

[@danasmith3288]

Spot on.

[@dennisweidner288]

@@jasonyoung7635 I wouldn't say great.

[@johnhafford1970]

Halsey was Navy’s Patton!!!

[@DalonCole]

I have a book in my library titled “Nimitz and his Admirals”. Highly recommend this work

[@vinkobosnyak4463]

Nimitz was the right man at the right time. Smart, logical, but also bold in taking the initiative and every opportunity to inflict as much damage as possible.

[@seanpendulum5121]

One of the best discussions I have ever heard of the art and science of leadership....

[@jenaroscoe7588]

Loved the Steve Ryan review at the beginning!

[@kaylemoine1571]

I have been wanting to see a video about Admiral Nimitz. He seen so quiet and unassuming. This certainly dispelled that assessment. A truly great American.

[@flparkermdpc]

Measured, rational, and always appropriate. Sometimes anger is appropriate. I think he felt bad for Gormley. Gormley's staff career had changed him, and he hadn't stayed fit. Nimitz was dismayed when he saw him after a 20 year hiatus. He was not the man of his early stellar fitness reports.

[@jgonzalez101]

Very informative and interesting Presentation on Admiral Chester Nimitz. I believe he was the best Military Leader of the Pacific War. He had all the great and needed qualities to achieve his objective in helping win the War in the Pacific. May he rest in peace.

[@JanneHarp-my9gh]

Wonderful interview! I've read that book several times and often reread portions daily on how Nimitz handled the various people. Symonds is a wonderful writer.

[@andymckane7271]

Wonderful interview! I'd have loved a good deal more detail on when then Rear Admiral Nimitz was initially being considered as CinCUS-CinCPac. I'm familiar with what E.B. Potter wrote many years ago as to Nimitz's conversation with his son. I'm also familiar with why Professor Potter told his son he didn't want the CinCPac billet at the start of hostilities. About that same time, as I understand it, Admiral Charles P. Snyder asked to be relieved as Commander Battle Force. His relief was then Vice Admiral William S. Pye. I have some questions on matters I hope to some day be able to discuss with Professor Symonds. As for the plot for the four officers and their wives in San Bruno, Harriet Turner was the first occupant there, and her husband "soon followed." I've been there to visit four of my favorite Americans of all time together with their wives. I also had the pleasure of attending the Chester W. Nimitz elementary school at Pearl Harbor many years ago. Perhaps someday we'll learn more as to whether or not J.O. Richardson was relieved or if he asked to be relieved. Apparently the decision for his relief was made in January 1941 after then Commander John L. McCrea left Washington with the new Rainbow 3 war plan. If memory serves correctly from reading Vice Admiral McCrea's oral history and his "secret" memo for Admiral Stark, McCrea was in the Philippines with the new Rainbow 3 war plan when he received a dispatch from CNO telling him to meet with the newly appointed CinCPac during his return flight(s) to Washington. As a life member of the USNI, I couldn't help but notice the two easy chairs you gentlemen were seated in are the same color of one of my three USNI ties! Well done, and what a beautiful place the Naval Academy and the USNI occupy! Thank you both very much for such a wonderful experience with this particular interview! I'll be watching this interview again tomorrow if I can't squeeze it all in again this evening. Great job! Go Navy! Andy McKane, 12 September 2022, Maunaloa, Hawaii.

[@robinstevenson6690]

I really loved this interview! Could bring him back for a follow-up. Love the photographs. Would also like to see what he has to say about other admirals, esp. Spruance.

[@jeffreybuckley9757]

A terrific interview about a great American that truly rose to the occasion when it really mattered.

[@nvestig8r]

Outstanding interview. Thanks very much!

[@jamesdewer]

A page turner, not only did he inherit a full count, he would take a base hit, base hit, then wound up getting a grand slam! The details make this book a must read. In depth and full of making the then mundane, today fascinating. The old Cincpac high-ball may have soused the most hearty sea dog. Risk indeed.

[@spartiate567]

Wonderful interview. I am very fond of the subject of Nimitz, and of Midway and Admiral King and Pearl Harbor etc. Regarding Midway: Of course there were several strokes of fortune without which America would have lost. But "time and chance happeneth" in battle all the time. And I want to point out that, yes, we were lucky, but as the saying goes, Luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation.

[@flparkermdpc]

Love your closing sentence.

[@ppumpkin3282]

The reality of Midway: we had all the advantages. We had a land base at Midway - which was equivelenat to having several aircraft carriers, we knew the enemies plans, we found them first, their search planes had problems, we sent waves of planes at the Japanese carriers that got shot down, and the whole victory hinged on one pilot following one lagging Jap destroyer way behind his limits. And he caught the Japs at the right time. We one not through preparedness luck, but through dumb luck. Had that one pilot not found the carriers, they would have found us first and results would be real different. We were not prepared at all, all of our flights were not properly coordinated, it took an hour to assemble our fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes and then they got lost. The japs did it in fifteen minutes. Our planes used a quarter of their gas before they even got together.

[@ksiboomer]

Very interesting presentation. Well done!

[@brucefredrickson9677]

Excellent interview...very informative. I plan to read the book.

[@jimclark6256]

Great, very informative, have read Adm. Nimitz's auto bio. will buy this outstanding book. It will have much more info. I believe.

[@joechang8696]

On Nimitz's assignment to PacFlt, ships authorized in the mid-30s were already built (North Carolina class), and those authorized in 38 would be soon (South Dakota class), the carrier force was thin relative to Japan, at 5 fleet, and the Wasp. The ships authorized in 40 would start to come on in 43, having substance by 44. This meant Nimitz just needed to be careful for 42 and 43. Compare the Japanese attack plan for Midway with the Mitscher/Burke plan in the 44 campaign. Prior to the invasion fleet arriving at Saipan and Philippines, the carrier task force struck all the main bases that could send reinforcements to the invasion target. Granted Mitscher had two additional years to work this out.

[@briankohl7431]

very good discussion. well done

[@larryzigler6812]

Will have to buy. Do have Potter's biography on the GREAT MAN !!!!

[@raindropsrising7662]

Thanks for doing this! Really appreciate sharing a bit extra in the history of Nimitz. Keen student of Pacific theater.

[@richbrauer6455]

Great book… loved it.

[@JohnRoute51]

i'm going to read this book

[@weehawker1]

Thank you all so much for this interview. BTW, i have this book, being discussed, and i have Dr. Symonds' , " WWII At Sea ". I hope to collect more of his books. To my point, in E.B. Potter's book, "Nimitz", Potter relates a story on pages 276 - 277, regarding a drunken' sailor, and a Corrupt Sea Bee Commander. Is there any one out there that can help me find factual evidence as to what happened to the Sea Bee Commanding officer, and any details regarding how the Sea Bee battalion was better run afterwards? I share this story with any one that will listen. Thanks so much.

[@pcguysoffgridcabin]

Admiral on the KZbin!!

[@mikelamberth9975]

Great book.

[@yes_head]

Good discussion -- thanks. I guess the lighting system at the new facility wasn't installed at the time of this recording?

[@petersuson7958]

I agree that Spruance got the limelight at Midway and I admire him after reading his biography "The Quiet Warrior" but intrigue as the author mentioned tha Adm. Fletcher also contributed much in the battle of Midway. So I'm curious about his contribution.

[@waynezimnoch3182]

I think there is a good interview in this series if you u tube , Admiral Flethcher , an author spent about a half hour on Fletcher .

[@davidcbr0wn]

At 25:54 Sid Phillips, who was in Ken Burns “The War” and the 2010 HBO “The Pacific”, in the top-right of the photo has his back facing the camera taking a leak. Sid talks about this in his book “You’ll Be Sor-ree!”

[@jefsantamonica641]

Already got the book. I 'm still reading Edwin Layton's out of print book, "I Was There."

[@RichBoyFL]

Awesome

[@viking956]

At 24:50 when they are talking about the Intel in Hawaii not following the chain of command. Back in the 90's, I was in the Air Force assigned to Keflavik NAS Iceland. The Navy was the host unit there and for base support activities (i.e., family housing, hospital, gym, youth center, etc., etc.), we had to deal with the Navy. I was astonished at how strict the Navy is about their precious chain-of-command. On an Air Force base if I had a complaint about something involving base housing, I simply pick of the phone, call the Housing Support Office, and voice my complaint. That shit don't work with the Navy. I tried it....TRUST ME. As a tenant unit on a Navy Base. I had to put my complaint in writing, forward it up through my Air Force chain-of-command who then forwarded it to the Navy Base Commander who then sent it down his chain of command to the Director of Base Housing. The Director of Base Housing didn't respond directly to me. He forwarded his response, in writing, up his chain of command to the Navy Base Commander who then forwarded the response over to the Air Forces Iceland commander and down through my chain of command back to me. This was the most discombobulated management method I had ever seen. The problem I had with getting someone from Housing Support to come out and fix my water heater could have been solved with a five minute phone call. Instead, it took all of four business days for this paperwork to flow back and forth before I was even allowed to call in a work order which was completed two days later with the replacement of one fuse. Unbelievable! So I can relate as to how those Admiral brothers in DC got their panties all bunched up and this violation of that sacred damn chain-of-command. I hear stories like that and it makes one wonder "how in the world did we win that war?"

[@petersuson7958]

The author is very interesting to listen.

[@philliptrapaga4000]

Nimitz, Halsey, Spruance, Lee, Burke, Norman Scott , Lockwood are my picks.

[@SammyNeedsAnAlibi]

Very informative and well presented video- BZ to all! My question still has no answer: Why did Halsey get his 5th Star after taking the IJN bait at Leyte Gulf and later driving his Fleet directly into 2 different typhoons resulting in several ships lost or severely damaged? If anyone, it should of gone to Kinkaid for sticking to his objective- protect the troops on Leyte Island, not abandoning them chasing a decoy Navy.

[@jeffg1524]

Nimitz was never as flashy as MacArthur so never got nearly the amount of press. I've only read a couple books on him so obviously not an expert, but from what I know he was the perfect leader for the time and place in history. His quiet patience and brilliance have been sorely underrated, so I'm glad he's getting all this historical attention.

[@butchking154]

doug out doug he had an ego the size of texas

[@allandonovan4620]

Steve Ryan you glossed over LBJ, the straphanger, getting a Silver Star for NOTHING!!!

[@acr08807]

The interview starts at 9:21.

[@robertdendooven7258]

I am really late seeing this interview. I read Dr. Symonds book shortly after its release and really enjoyed it. The only negative for me was not enough detail on how Nimitz's thoughts on what forces he requested from King in the first six months of 1942 if there is any record of it. I know the policy was Germany first, but I really think we gave too much heavy support to the British in the Atlantic to replace their heavy ships either sunk, being repaired, or off somewhere else. I specifically wonder why with the losses at Pearl Harbor of battleships, the two new battleships North Carolina and Washington were not sent to the Pacific earlier in 1942 than they were? They would have been more useful at Midway than with the British Home Fleet chasing German heavy ships that may or may not come out into the Atlantic. Also, I have always wanted to know specifically why Nimitz did not request the newly repaired USS Saratoga to expedite coming out to Pearl Harbor to participate in the Midway battle when he did not know until May 27/28 that the Yorktown could be repaired enough to be ready for the battle. Saratoga was based in San Diego for almost a week before leaving on June 1 to sail to Pearl and there is no info as to why she did not leave sooner. She arrived in San Diego on May 25 and did not leave until June 1. I have read some comments by people that there were not enough escorts for her or that she still had to do post repair trials. If that is the truth, then I would like to have it confirmed by written reports from the time. If there was that proof, then fair enough and I won't bring it up again.

[@alganhar1]

First, where was North Carolina based when she was blocking a potential attempt by the Tirpitz to break into the Atlantic Trade routes? Fact is she was based in Argentia, Newfoundland, specifically to cover any attempt by the Tirpitz to attack the US and Canadian East Coast. She was NOT directly supporting British operations during that time, and was very quickly given orders to go to the Pacific when she was replaced by an older US Battleship. USS Washington was again not directly supporting British operations either. Her role was heavy convoy defence on Arctic Convoys carrying critical Lend Lease supplies to the Soviet Union. Those convoys were regularly escorted by Battleships specifically because of the threat of Tirpitz. Usually these Battleships were the older British R Class. So it was not only the USN that was supplying Battleships to escort these critical convoys. I will admit I do find it odd the USN sent what was then their newest Battleship to fill the role when one of the older Standards would have been more than adequate for Convoy defence. However, given that I will also note that USS Washington was easily capable of engaging and destroying Tirpitz on her own, something the R Class and Standards were not necessarily able to do mostly because of their low speed. Fact is both vessels were actively engaged in protecting US interests. The British were not desperate for large Capital ships, what they were desperate for was small ASW specialised Escorts. There is a REASON the UK built almost 300 Flower Class corvettes during the war. There is a REASON they accepted the Destroyers for Bases deal despite it being far less advantageous for the UK than it was for the USA. And do not try and argue against that, the UK got 50 clapped out old four stackers, primarily Clemson Class, in return for bases, some of which are still operated by the US Military to this day. So yes, the US most certainly DID get the lions share of the benefit from that particular deal.... As for other Capital ship support, well of the three Carriers based in the Atlantic at the start of the war, well USS Hornet was more or less immediately transferred to the Pacific, Wasp was used in a few runs to shuttle aircraft to Malta, which was still heavily under siege at the time, but was transferred to the Pacific relatively quickly to replace losses sustained during Coral Sea and of course Midway. That left only USS Ranger in the Atlantic, and USS Ranger was considered unsuitable for deployment in the Pacific by the USN. She was too small, and too slow. Also, when the British were themselves critically short on Carriers due to several having been sunk and more being in the yards under repair, they still sent one of their precious carriers to the Pacific to help the USN out. The ship in question was HMS Victorious under the callsign USS Robin, and remained in service with the USN for almost a year if you include her minor refit to bring some of her systems in line with those used in the USN (radios and the like). Most Americans are utterly unaware of the intensity of fighting that the Malta convoys represented. Take the case of HMS Illustrious. On a Malta Convoy she was attacked repeatedly, over multiple days, by hundreds of land based aircraft. She suffered no less than 7 bomb hits, 1 of those hits was from a 2000 lb Semi Armour piercing, 4 were 1100 lb bombs, the rest 500 lb bombs. Illustrious *survived* and after repair went on to serve for the rest of the war. One of her Sisters, HMS Indomitable suffered 2 2000 lb bomb hits but continued operating Aircraft. A lot of people laugh at the British Armoured Carriers, and forget to take account of the fact they were designed to operate in regions of the world with large numbers of land based aircraft. Show me a US or Japanese carrier that could even *survive* two two thousand pound SAP bomb hits, let alone still operate aircraft afterwards.... While many Americans will go on about the aircraft shuttle runs the US Carriers, mostly Wasp and Ranger undertook, it is interesting to note that virtually NONE of you acknowledge, or even KNOW of the fact that HMS Victorious served under USN command for close to a year.... At a time Britain could not really afford to release a carrier.....

[@238ED]

THANK YOU FOR THE INFO ON ONE OF MY FAVORITE ADMIRALS

[@geoffnelson4777]

Read "Fleet Admiral King: A Naval Record" by King and Walter Muir Whitehill for another perspective of Nimitz.

[@dukeford]

Buell's "Master of Sea Power" is probably more accessible.

[@turnthepage867]

Richardson told FDR point for point why placing the fleet at Pearl Harbor was a bad risk to take. He probably insulted FDR to get fired...and that was a smart move.

[@dukeford]

Yes, telling the President that the Navy had no confidence in civilian leadership probably didn't help.

[@velisvideos6208]

M Symonds misses the meaning and effect of the Doolittle raid. The political impact was primarily in Japan. It caused the Japanese army to support Yamamoto's plan to take Midway and Hawaii. The purpose of war is politics, and this is one of the best examples...

[@elwin38]

The bottom line was, in a nutshell, after the Pearl Harbor attack, President Roosevelt told him, "get your ass out to Pearl and don't come back until final victory"!

[@Conn30Mtenor]

Nimitz presided over two grave errors. Peleliu and Iwo Jima. Unnecessary bloodbaths both.

[@christopherslaughter2263]

Re towers, aviation is like that. Its a small tightnit community

[@bobkohl6779]

Except the invasion of Pelilui

[@dks13827]

congressMEN !!!!!! got it ????????????

[@igorlobkovenko9480]

Why couldnt Ghormley fly to Pearl Harbor to fix his teeth and then regain his command?

[@brucepoole8552]

FDR clearly was the greatest President in modern times

[@philiphorner31]

No. Economic train wreck.

[@brucepoole8552]

@@philiphorner31 the greatest economy on earth is a train wreck?

[@ppumpkin3282]

@@brucepoole8552 Greatest economy in the world? He kept in a recession for over ten years. He kept interfering with the market with social programs and price fixing programs that didn't work. He was elected on the basis of not getting us into war, then spent years poking the Germans by supplying it's enemies with arms, and then putting restrictions on the japs - he did everything to get us into the war. He was the one who initiated politics with the supreme court, when they found many of his programs unconstitutional, he threatened to pack the supreme court by appointing six new justices to 15. He started us on the route to socialism.

[@DalonCole]

@@brucepoole8552 he handled the Great Depression horribly. Also a great potus dies not put Americans in concentration camps

[@richbrauer6455]

I disagree on the idea of attacking Japan by Doolittle was a waste of resources. How many addition Japanese resources were stationed around Japan to keep from being attacked again during the whole war.

[@finallyfriday.]

Intro WAAAAY too long! Click!

[@richardgodwin2967]

Interesting. However, it is easy to be an armchair quarterback.

[@bullwinklejmoos]

True, but the record speaks for itself. He was the right man at the right time.

[@Muddybagclean]

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