Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. Early Life And Education World War II

Zumwalt was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Dr. E.H. Zumwalt and Dr. Frances Zumwalt. Zumwalt, an Eagle Scout, attended Tulare Union High School, where he became the valedictorianIn the United States, the title of valedictorian is given to the top graduate of the entire graduating class of an educational institution. This honor is traditionally based on grades and overall GPA, but consideration is also given to other factors such, and Rutherford Preparatory School in Long BeachLong Beach is a city located in southern Los Angeles County, California, on the Pacific coast. It is one of the busiest sea ports in the world. Its location is 33°47' North, 118°10' West, about 20 miles (30 km) south of downtown Los Angeles. According to. In 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26, Zumwalt was accepted to the United States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy or USNA is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy. Its campus is located in Annapolis, Maryland, on the banks of the Severn River. Students at the Naval Academy are referred to in AnnapolisAnnapolis redirects here. There is also Annapolis, Missouri. Annapolis is the capital of Maryland, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, its population is 35,838. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County. This city is a part, MarylandAlternate uses: Maryland (disambiguation Maryland ( In Detail) State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Governor: Robert L. Ehrlich Other U. States Capital Annapolis Largest City Baltimore Area Total Land Water % water Ranked 42nd 32,160 km² 25,338 km². As a midshipmanFor the fishes called midshipman, see Midshipman fish In the navies of English-speaking countries, a midshipman is a low-ranking commissioned officer, usually the lowest rank. In the Royal Navy, the rank of midshipman is one of the oldest ranks. It is the at USNA, he was president of the Trident Society, vice president of the Quarterback Society and the two-time winner of the June Week Public Speaking Contest ( 1940Events January-February January 5 FM radio is demonstrated to the FCC for the first time. January 6 World War II: Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the Poznan, Warthegau. January 12 World War II: Russia bombs cities in Finland. February 2 F- 41). Zumwalt also participated in intercollegiate debating and was the Company Commander (1941) and Regimental Three Striper ( 1942). He graduated with distinction and was commissioned as an ensign on June 19, 1942.

2 World War II

Zumwalt joined the USS Phelps (DD–360), a destroyer. In August 1943, the Phelps was detached for instruction in the Operational Training Command - Pacific in San Francisco. In January 1944, Zumwalt reported onboard the USS Robinson . On this ship, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor device for "heroic service as Evaluator in the Combat Information Center ...in action against enemy Japanese battleships during the Battle for Leyte Gulf, October 25, 1944."

After the end of World War II in August 1945, Zumwalt continued to serve until December 8 as the prize crew officer of the HIMJS Ataka , a 1,200-ton Japanese river gunboat with a crew of 200. In this capacity, he took the first American-controlled ship since the outbreak of World War II up the Whangpoo River to Shanghai. There they helped to restore order and assisted in disarming the Japanese.

3 Command Assignments

Zumwalt next served as executive officer of the destroyer USS Saufley , and in March 1946 was transferred to the destroyer USS Zellars , as Executive Officer and Navigator. In January 1948 he was assigned to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit of the University of North Carolina, where he remained until June 1950. That month he assumed command of USS Tills , in commission in reserve status. That destroyer escort was placed in full active commission at Charleston Naval Shipyard on 21 November 1950, and he continued to command her until March 1951, when he joined the battleship USS Wisconsin as Navigator.

Detached from USS Wisconsin in June 1952, he attended the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, and in June 1953 reported as Head of the Shore and Overseas Bases Section, Bureau of Naval Personnel , Navy Department, Washington, D. C. He also served as Officer and Enlisted Requirements Officer and as Action Officer on Medicare Legislation. Completing that tour of duty in July 1955, he assumed command of the destroyer USS Arnold J. Isbell , participating in two deployments to the Seventh Fleet. In this assignment he was commended by the Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Forces, U. S. Pacific Fleet for winning the Battle Efficiency Competition for his ship and for winning Excellence Awards in Engineering, Gunnery, Antisubmarine Warfare, and Operations. In July 1957 he returned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel for further duty. In December 1957 he was transferred to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Personnel and Reserve Forces), and served as Special Assistant for Naval Personnel until November 1958, then as Special Assistant and Naval Aide until August 1959.

Ordered to the first ship built from the keel up as a guided missile ship, USS Dewey (DLG-14) , building at the Bath (Maine) Iron Works, he assumed command of that guided missile frigate at her commissioning in December 1959, and commanded her until June 1961. During this period of his command, Dewey earned the Excellence Award in Engineering, Supply, Weapons, and was runner-up in the Battle Efficiency Competition. He was a student at the National War College, Washington, D. C., during the 1961-1962 class year. In June he was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs), Washington, D. C., where he served first as Desk Officer for France, Spain and Portugal, then as Director of Arms Control and Contingency Planning for Cuba. From December 1963 until 21 June 1965 he served as Executive Assistant and Senior Aide to the Honorable Paul H. Nitze, Secretary of the Navy. For duty in his tour in the offices of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, he was awarded the Legion of Merit.

4 Flag Assignments

After his selection for the rank of Rear Admiral, he assumed command in July 1965 of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven . In September 1968 he became Commander Naval Forces, Vietnam and Chief of the Naval Advisory Group, U. S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.

4.1 Chief of Naval Operations

President Richard M. Nixon nominated him as Chief of Naval Operations on 14 April 1970. Upon being relieved as Commander Naval Forces, Vietnam, on 15 May 1970, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service. He assumed command as Chief of Naval Operations on 1 July 1970 and retired from that position on 1 July 1974.

5 Later Years

In 1976, he unsuccessfully ran as a Democratic candidate for the Senate from Virginia. Later he held the presidency of the American Medical Building Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Admiral Zumwalt died on 2 January 2000 at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. His home was in Arlington, Virginia. He was married to the former Mouza Coutelais-du-Roche of Harbin, Manchuria , and they had two sons, Elmo R. Zumwalt III , who died of cancer in 1988, possibly due to Agent Orange exposure, and James Gregory Zumwalt, and two daughters, Ann F. Zumwalt Coppola and Mouza C. Zumwalt-Weathers. He was also survived by six grandchildren.

6 Further reading

My Father, My Son by Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. and Elmo R. Zumwalt III. (Dell Publishing Company, ASIN: 0440159733)

Zumwalt Jr., Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., Elmo R.

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1 Early life and education