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.

World War II

Zumwalt joined the USS Phelps (DD-360), a destroyer. In August 1943, 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."

Related Topics:
USS ''Phelps'' - Destroyer - 1943 - Operational Training Command - Pacific - San Francisco - 1944 - USS ''Robinson'' - Bronze Star - Valor device - Combat Information Center - Japan - Battleship - Battle for Leyte Gulf - October 25

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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 Huangpu River to Shanghai. There they helped to restore order and assisted in disarming the Japanese.

Related Topics:
World War II - 1945 - December 8 - HIMJS ''Ataka'' - Gunboat - Huangpu River - Shanghai

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