United States Navy Admiral. In 1917, he was the first Native American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. During World War I, he was first posted to the cruiser USS North Carolina, which was convoying troops across the Atlantic Ocean. After the war, he served at sea aboard the various destroyers in the Middle East, was posted as an instructor at the USNA (1923-24) and graduated as a naval aviator from NAS Pensacola Florida, in 1925. Through the 1930s, he was executive officer of the Fleet Air Base, Pearl Harbor and served as inspector of naval aircraft at the Curtis Aircraft Corporation, New York. With the advent of World War II, he commanded the carrier USS Suwvannee in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Africa. Promoted Rear Admiral in 1944, he commanded the Fast Carrier Task Force in actions against the Japanese in the Marianas Campaign, Iwo Jima and the Task Force 58 in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. During the Korean War, he commanded the Fast Carrier Task Force and was promoted Vice Admiral in command of the 7th Fleet. On December 1, 1953, he retired from the Navy at the rank of Full Admiral. After retiring from the Navy, he was chairman of the Hegeman Harris, Corporation, New York City and was made an honorary chief by both the Sioux and Cherokee Nations. He also is a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Elder Statesman Aviation Award and the guided-missile Frigate USS Clark FFG-11,was named in his honor.
United States Navy Admiral. In 1917, he was the first Native American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. During World War I, he was first posted to the cruiser USS North Carolina, which was convoying troops across the Atlantic Ocean. After the war, he served at sea aboard the various destroyers in the Middle East, was posted as an instructor at the USNA (1923-24) and graduated as a naval aviator from NAS Pensacola Florida, in 1925. Through the 1930s, he was executive officer of the Fleet Air Base, Pearl Harbor and served as inspector of naval aircraft at the Curtis Aircraft Corporation, New York. With the advent of World War II, he commanded the carrier USS Suwvannee in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Africa. Promoted Rear Admiral in 1944, he commanded the Fast Carrier Task Force in actions against the Japanese in the Marianas Campaign, Iwo Jima and the Task Force 58 in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. During the Korean War, he commanded the Fast Carrier Task Force and was promoted Vice Admiral in command of the 7th Fleet. On December 1, 1953, he retired from the Navy at the rank of Full Admiral. After retiring from the Navy, he was chairman of the Hegeman Harris, Corporation, New York City and was made an honorary chief by both the Sioux and Cherokee Nations. He also is a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Elder Statesman Aviation Award and the guided-missile Frigate USS Clark FFG-11,was named in his honor.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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