Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.

Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr. (November 29, 1920 – January 2, 2000) was an American naval leader. As an admiral and later Chief of Naval Operations in the U.S. Navy, Zumwalt played a major part in the Vietnam War, where he personally awarded future Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry the Silver Star. A highly decorated war veteran, Zumwalt was also responsible for making major reforms to Naval personnel policies in an effort to improve enlisted life and ease racial tensions. Late in life, he launched an unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senator.

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.

Related Topics:
Executive officer - USS ''Saufley'' - 1946 - USS ''Zellars'' - 1948 - Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - University of North Carolina - 1950 - USS ''Tills'' - Charleston Naval Shipyard - 21 November - 1951 - USS ''Wisconsin''

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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.

Related Topics:
1952 - Naval War College - Newport, Rhode Island - 1953 - Bureau of Naval Personnel - Washington, D. C. - 1955 - USS ''Arnold J. Isbell'' - Seventh Fleet - Pacific Fleet - 1957 - 1958 - 1959

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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.

Related Topics:
USS ''Dewey'' (DLG-14) - Bath (Maine) Iron Works - Frigate - 1959 - 1961 - National War College - France - Spain - Portugal - Cuba - 1963 - 21 June - 1965 - Paul H. Nitze - Secretary of the Navy - Secretary of Defense

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