Comments on: Halsey in the Dock http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=halsey-in-the-dock From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:41:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Dave P. http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-787529 Dave P. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:30:18 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-787529 Facts of Halsey at Samar: - He was the only one guarding the straight. - A very large IJN formation had tried to use that straight earlier. - When he left, he left not so much as a sailor in rubber dingy w/ a radio to watch the straight. When you recklessly put that many men’s lives at risk (Taffy1, Taffy2, the invasion beachhead, not just Taffy3), I would court martial the hard-headed, miserable SOB. Facts of Halsey at Samar:
- He was the only one guarding the straight.
- A very large IJN formation had tried to use that straight earlier.
- When he left, he left not so much as a sailor in rubber dingy w/ a radio to watch the straight.

When you recklessly put that many men’s lives at risk (Taffy1, Taffy2, the invasion beachhead, not just Taffy3), I would court martial the hard-headed, miserable SOB.

]]> By: john clements http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-266901 john clements Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:37:25 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-266901 it was once said of admiral king,"king deserved the highest medal,the iron cross" such was the sad effect of Halseys mistakes in the pacific theater.. we were fortunate to win the war in spite of these two. as a member of a family that lost dear relatives because of the "bull" im sorry they didnt court martial the pair!! it was once said of admiral king,"king deserved the highest medal,the iron cross" such was the sad effect of Halseys mistakes in the pacific theater.. we were fortunate to win the war in spite of these two. as a member of a family that lost dear relatives because of the "bull" im sorry they didnt court martial the pair!!

]]> By: Chuck http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-194659 Chuck Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:20:39 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-194659 Hey, we won the war, didn't we! Leave the old man alone... Hey, we won the war, didn't we!
Leave the old man alone…

]]> By: Eddie Crutchfield http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-152394 Eddie Crutchfield Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:42:02 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-152394 Halsey is by far, not my favorite admiral of the Pacific war. that being said he was from 1942 to mid 1943 what was needed in the south pacific. It was his drive to keep the pressure on the Japanese with limited resources that resulted in a war of attrition that weakened the Japanese navy to a point that it was really unable to defend against the attacks of late 1943 and into 1944. From 1944 he seems to have lost touch with the changes in carrier warfare, especially from the US perspective. Attacking first while still desirable was not as important as it one was. the US carrier forces had developed a defense, based on improved tactics, technology and pilots that would make the fleet extremely difficullt to attack. Halsey seemed not to see that change. Nor did the Japanese. I think it was Hughes, in Fleet Tactics that pointed out this change, and that Spruance seemed to instinctively see it. I wonder about instinctively, or was it more it fit into his style and his mission goals in most cases. Halsey is by far, not my favorite admiral of the Pacific war. that being said he was from 1942 to mid 1943 what was needed in the south pacific. It was his drive to keep the pressure on the Japanese with limited resources that resulted in a war of attrition that weakened the Japanese navy to a point that it was really unable to defend against the attacks of late 1943 and into 1944. From 1944 he seems to have lost touch with the changes in carrier warfare, especially from the US perspective. Attacking first while still desirable was not as important as it one was. the US carrier forces had developed a defense, based on improved tactics, technology and pilots that would make the fleet extremely difficullt to attack. Halsey seemed not to see that change. Nor did the Japanese. I think it was Hughes, in Fleet Tactics that pointed out this change, and that Spruance seemed to instinctively see it. I wonder about instinctively, or was it more it fit into his style and his mission goals in most cases.

]]> By: Sapper http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-131036 Sapper Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:33:35 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-131036 Admiral Halsey was an American.The right man in the right place at the right time.He set the standard for the US Navy early in the war,sure he wasnt perfect,but how many Battles did he lose?Leadership is not all calculation,you have to have the fire in the belly as well! Admiral Halsey was an American.The right man in the right place at the right time.He set the standard for the US Navy early in the war,sure he wasnt perfect,but how many Battles did he lose?Leadership is not all calculation,you have to have the fire in the belly as well!

]]> By: Dennis Largess http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-126714 Dennis Largess Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:42:17 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-126714 Sorry, hit the wrong button. To continue, Admiral Halsey meant to stop the refueling and for the destroyer to pull off, so if Japanese planes attacked the two ships wouldn't be sitting ducks. However, the way he said it by addressing the ship's captain as "Coxswain" was an insult. In the old navy, that was the commander of a ship's longboat. The DD's captain got angry and turned around away from the New Jersey and started cursing, "That goddamn old, blankety-blankd so and so..." Ran on for about a minute and then noticed all his bridge crew staring at him in horror. He looked back to the battleship bridge and Halsey was glaring at him, looking like he was going to leap over the gap. By a trick of the wind, his tirade had carried over to the admiral. Scowling fiercely, he yelled back, "How DARE you call me old!" Bill Halsey never did trust the Japanese. On receiving the information that the war was over, he sent a message to the fleet. "Cease Firing. The war is over. But if any Japanese planes fly over, shoot them down in a friendly manner." Sorry, hit the wrong button. To continue,
Admiral Halsey meant to stop the refueling and for the destroyer to pull off, so if Japanese planes attacked the two ships wouldn't be sitting ducks.
However, the way he said it by addressing the ship's captain as "Coxswain" was an insult. In the old navy, that was the commander of a ship's longboat.
The DD's captain got angry and turned around away from the New Jersey and started cursing, "That goddamn old, blankety-blankd so and so…"
Ran on for about a minute and then noticed all his bridge crew staring at him in horror. He looked back to the battleship bridge and Halsey was glaring at him, looking like he was going to leap over the gap.
By a trick of the wind, his tirade had carried over to the admiral.
Scowling fiercely, he yelled back, "How DARE you call me old!"

Bill Halsey never did trust the Japanese. On receiving the information that the war was over, he sent a message to the fleet.
"Cease Firing. The war is over.
But if any Japanese planes fly over, shoot them down in a friendly manner."

]]> By: Dennis Largess http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-126711 Dennis Largess Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:34:51 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-126711 In discussing this with my father, who was on Yorktown, he mentioned a sea story from the Fast Carriers. At one point in the last days of the war, Halsey was leading the Fleet up and down the Japanese mainland. One destroyer was refueling from New Jersey, his flagship, when the admiral strode out to the wing of the bridge and yelled to the destroyer's captain, "Sheer off, coxswain! I've got bandits coming in." Meaning In discussing this with my father, who was on Yorktown, he mentioned a sea story from the Fast Carriers.
At one point in the last days of the war, Halsey was leading the Fleet up and down the Japanese mainland.
One destroyer was refueling from New Jersey, his flagship, when the admiral strode out to the wing of the bridge and yelled to the destroyer's captain, "Sheer off, coxswain! I've got bandits coming in." Meaning

]]> By: Dennis Largess http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-125895 Dennis Largess Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:32:40 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-125895 My dad, who was then the Senior Watch Officer on the Yorktown (CV10) saw Bill Halsey a number of times as he visited the ships of his command. During the second typhoon, the Hornet and Task Group one were badly knocked about. Admiral Jocko Clark had to stand a court martial for the damage to his Task Group. He did not trust Halsey because of the way Marc Mitscher was pushed aside by the admiral and his staff. So as the storm approached, and the admiral ignored it, Clark had his staff document all transmissions and take photos of the radar returns. Introducing this material in the courtmartial, Halsey could give no explanation of why he refused to allow Clark's Task Group to maneuver. Clark was totally exonerated. Later, when asked by the Yorktown's XO why it happened, Clark replied, "That old man was so tired." My dad, who was then the Senior Watch Officer on the Yorktown (CV10) saw Bill Halsey a number of times as he visited the ships of his command.
During the second typhoon, the Hornet and Task Group one were badly knocked about. Admiral Jocko Clark had to stand a court martial for the damage to his Task Group.
He did not trust Halsey because of the way Marc Mitscher was pushed aside by the admiral and his staff. So as the storm approached, and the admiral ignored it, Clark had his staff document all transmissions and take photos of the radar returns.
Introducing this material in the courtmartial, Halsey could give no explanation of why he refused to allow Clark's Task Group to maneuver. Clark was totally exonerated.
Later, when asked by the Yorktown's XO why it happened, Clark replied, "That old man was so tired."

]]> By: Sea Links « New Wars http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-124545 Sea Links « New Wars Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:02:11 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-124545 [...] Halsey in the Dock. (HistoryNet) [...] [...] Halsey in the Dock. (HistoryNet) [...]

]]> By: Greg Eddy http://www.historynet.com/halsey-in-the-dock.htm#comment-123527 Greg Eddy Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:05:27 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681471#comment-123527 Halsey should have been put on a shorter leash before any of his"mistakes" were made. Nimitz knew him well enough to know that he needed at least some controls. Halsey should have been put on a shorter leash before any of his"mistakes" were made. Nimitz knew him well enough to know that he needed at least some controls.

]]>