Chester W. Nimitz
Fleet Admiral Chester William Nimitiz was born on February 24th, 1885 to Anna Josephine Henke and Chester Bernhard Nimitz in Fredericksburg, Texas. Chester never got to meet his father, because he died of a rheumatic disease. Not having his father to guide him in life, his grandfather, Charles Henry Nimitz stepped in as the father figure he needed. Charles wasn’t only the father figure, though. You can also say he was Chester’s idol, being that Charles Henry was a seaman in the German Merchant Marine. This is who taught Chester to love the sea.
In the beginning, Chester always thought he would become an Army officer but had no choice really but the only appointment avaliable was for the Navy. The spot wasn’t just given to him, though, because it would be awarded to the most qualified man. Chester knew that it was the Navy or nothing and worked hard to earn the position. In 1901, his studying paid off when he was appointed into the US Naval Academy where he later graduated in 1905.
After graduating, he spent time on a few battleships, cruisers and gunboats. For a two years he was out on sea as warrant officer and then became an Esign (junior rank.) In May of 1909 he was given command of a fleet along with the USS Plunger and a submarine. On March 20th, 1912 he received a Silver Lifesaving medal when he rescued a fireman from drowning. In April of 1913, Chester got married to Catherine Freeman who lived on the mainland during his active duty. During World War 1, he studied diesel engines in Germany. He then became a Executive and Engineer Officer. During the war he was aboard the refueling ship for the US Navy destroyers. Later he was appointed Chief of Staff and also Senior Member of the Submarine Design Board.
In the down time between World War 1 and World War 2 he did a lot of commanding cruisers and served as an executive officer for a battleship. Right before Pearl Harbor Chester became Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Fleet and was ranked as an Admiral. Nimitiz defeated the Japanese navy head to head in the Battle of the Coral Sea, Battle of Midway and the Solomon Islands Campaign, using whatever was given to him. He was also very successful with attacks on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, also. When Japan surrendered, Nimitz was who signed for the United States.
Adding to his Lifesaving medal, he was also awarded with a Gold Star for the Distinguished Servie Medal. Chester Nimitz retried in December of 1947. Being a Fleet Admiral though, he had to remain on active duty because it is a lifetime appointment. After spending most of his retirement in California, him and his wife moved to naval quarters on Yerba Buena Island. Chester died four days before his birthday, on February 20th of 1966 at age 81.
General Omar Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley was born to a schoolteacher John Smith Bradley and Mary Elizabeth Hubbard on February 12th, 1893 in Missouri. He grew up with very little and attended a country school. At age 13 the father who had given him the love of not only books but baseball and shooting, died and his mother soon remarried. Bradley still went on though and became a great student along with being amazing at both baseball and football.
In the beginning, Omar started off as boiler maker for a railroad company but was then encouraged to join the Military Academy instead of joining the Univeristy of Missouri and studying law. Since he was too busy worrying about sports, though, his grades were very low. Since he was so good on the baseball team, each player including Bradley became a general in the army. He was assigned to the 14th Infantry Refiment and served on the US - Mexico border. He quickly became a captain and guarded copper mines in Montana when World War 1 started. In 1918 he joined the 19th Infantry Division. After World War 1 he taught math at West Point and also studied. After teaching he was made major and studied at the Command and General Staff School. When World War 2 began he was in the 28th Infantry Division after a lot of jumping around.
In 1943 he was sent to be Eisenhower’s front line troubleshooter. The next year Bradley became head of II corps and then was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. After a lot of commanding and being the man Eisenhower always relied on and put on the front line, the favorable general worked hard on being the head of the Vets Administration after the war.
Even after retiring he was still very involved. He was also still a huge sports fan! Omar died on April 8th of 1981 of a caradiac arrhythmia. He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery next to his two wives.
Both of these war heros seem like they were very admirable and it seemed like both were well liked, also. General Omar Bradley didn't let how he grew up determine how successful he was, which I thought was cool. I also never knew that in this case, general's wives were allowed to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery!
Comments
Very well done!!