An eighth book contains selected dispatches relating to the battle of midway. February 17, 1915 january 2, 2002 was an american submarine commander in the united states navy during world war ii and the korean war, and a businessman. Washington nns the naval war college library in newport, r. Finding aid pdf biography scope and content note these papers document all phases of admiral chester nimitz s career. Chester nimitz communications that started in the wake of the pearl harbor attack and ran right up until the closing days of the war. Legendary admiral s wwii diary to be released online this article discusses the importance of fleet admiral chester w. He was paged and told there was a phone call for him. Chester nimitz communications that started in the wake of the pearl. Sunday, december 7th, 1941 admiral chester nimitz was attending a concert in washington d. Nimitz s statement broadcast to the united states and the. Saving nimitzs graybook naval history magazine june 2014.
Nimitz, usn nimitz graybook 7 december 1941 31 august 1945 volume 7 of 8 running estimate and summary maintained by cincpac staff covering the period 1 july 1945 to 31 august 1945 the 8 volumes are paginated as follows. Bound in gray material, nimitzsdiary chronicles the pacific battles in rigorous detail, covering several volumes of situational strategy and experience from a firsthand perspective. February 24, 1885 february 20, 1966 was a fleet admiral of the united states navy. Chester nimitz operational communications that started in the wake of the pearl harbor attack and ran right up until the closing days of the war. The navy will unveil a treasure trove of world war ii history monday with the online release of more than 4,000 pages of personal records from fleet adm. Admiral nimitzs wwii diary now online hmh current events. Eastern, the naval war college library will publicly unveil online the 4,000page gray book collection of fleet adm. For some of the debunking done here, were turning directly to adm. Posting of nimitz graybook cheered by researchers zeke maccormack feb. Discuss your favourite ww2 books here online readable books in the reading room. Nimitz gray book some good news from the naval war college. Back in 2012 the naval war college gathered up all the communications and letters of adm. Mar 06, 2014 the naval war college library in newport, r. After the attack on pearl harbor, nimitz assembled the forces, selected the leaders, and as commander of all u.
Bound in gray material, nimitz sdiary chronicles the pacific battles in rigorous detail, covering several volumes of situational strategy and experience from a. They have finished collecting correspondence to and from admiral nimitz during world war 2, from right after pearl harbor to japans surrender. Chester william nimitz was born in fredericksburg, texas, on february 24, 1885. Steele, usn, cincpac staff at pearl harbor, hawaii, covering the period 7 december 1941 to 31 august 1942.
Citations to that document will be made with a parenthetical hyperlink that will give the pdf page, not the printed page number. Bound in gray material, nimitz sdiary chronicles the pacific battles in rigorous detail, covering several. Naval war college released a trove of world war ii information monday by posting online the operational diary kept by the pacific commander, adm. From 7 december 1941, the date of the japanese attack on pearl harbor, to 31 august 1945, two days before the japanese surrender at tokyo bay, pacific fleet staff at pearl harbor maintained a running estimate and summary of communicatons and other records in a gray book, copies of which were filed with the papers of fleet admiral chester w. Navy taking the wraps off world war ii logs of admiral. Chester nimitzs wwii gray book 4,000 pages worth of communications nimitz began right after the. What were the main sources of frustration in the digital launch of the nimitz graybook that you would want to see done differently in the future.
We had just missed a ferry and had to wait 30 minutes. The command summary of fadm chester nimitz was compiled by the war plans section of the pacific command headquarters in hawaii during world war ii. Nimitz kept a collection of communications that grew to more than 4,000 pages. Admiral nimitz was in his home in washington listening to a symphony on the radio when he heard the news that pearl harbor had been attacked. Nimitz confers with members of the press at pacific fleet. Nimitz news february 28, 2014 by uss nimitz cvn 68 issuu. They are especially important for the period 19471966, for nimitz s service as commanderinchief, us pacific fleet and pacific ocean areas from 1941 to 1945, and as chief of naval operations, 19451947. Nimitz, halsey, leahy and king the fivestar admirals who won the war at sea by walter r. The books were originally bound in graycovered binders that gave the document. Pacific fleet and commander in chief, pacific ocean areas, commanding allied air, land, and sea forces during world war ii nimitz.
A brilliant strategist who never sought the limelight, chester nimitz was an incomparable leader who served america brilliantly throughout the war in the pacific and has earned a place in history as one of our greatest naval officers. Ive just started reading, and its extremely interesting. The navy unveiled a gold mine of wwii information when it decided to publish nimitz diary about 4,000 pages of personal records written by fleet adm. When he answered the phone, it was president franklin delano roosevelt on the phone. At this early stage, anrs is able to provide images of one of the copies of the gray book that are located in papers of fleet admiral chester w. Pacific fleet and commander in chief, pacific ocean areas, commanding allied air, land, and sea forces during world war ii. Famed nimitz wwii diary to be unveiled online monday. Famed nimitz wwii diary unveiled online quarterdeck. The said project dubbed gray book was launched last february 24. You can watch live as the naval war college library in newport, r. Nimitz kept a daily journal now referred to as the gray book. Layton, the pacific fleets intelligence officer from 1940 until the surrender of japan. Big sunken battleships and navy vessels cluttered the waters every where you. The book, named simply for the color of its cover, is a collection of communications between nimitz and other commanders during world war ii.
Features fullscreen sharing embed analytics article stories visual stories seo. Nimitz, usn nimitz graybook 7 december 1941 31 august 1945 volume 1 of 8 running estimate and summary maintained by captain james m. Nimitz was given a boat tour of the destruction wrought on pearl harbor by the japanese. Chester nimitzs communications that started in the wake of the pearl harbor attack and ran right up until the closing days of the war. Highly respected by both the civilian and naval communities, nimitz was sometimes overshadowed by more. Pacific fleet during world war ii and was later promoted to the new rank of fleet admiral. In that role, he commanded all land and sea forces in the central pacific area. He played a major role in the naval history of world war ii as commander in chief, u. Legendary admirals wwii diary to be released online history. In the gift shop, i purchased a small book entitled reflections on pearl harbor by admiral chester nimitz. Washington the naval war college library in newport, r. Allen benson describe the graybook and its significance.
Nimitz notes from december, 1941, compiled in his gray book, which the navy put on the internet in 2014. Nimitz, usn nimitz graybook 7 december 1941 31 august 1945 volume 7 of 8 running estimate and summary maintained by cincpac staff covering the period 1 july 1945 to 31 august 1945. Chester nimitz communications that started with the the pearl harbor attack and were kept through the end of the wwii is now available online. In the gift shop, i purchased a small book entitled, reflections on pearl harbor by admiral chester nimitz. Called a great book worthy of a great man, this definitive biography of the commander in chief of the pacific fleet in world war ii, first published in 1976 and now available in paperback for the first time, continues to be considered the best book ever written about adm. Edwin thomas layton april 7, 1903 april 12, 1984 was a rear admiral in the united states navy. Feb 27, 2014 the command summary of fadm chester nimitz was compiled by the war plans section of the pacific command headquarters in hawaii during world war ii.
The weekly publication of the aircraft carrier uss nimitz cvn 68 issuu company logo. Admiral nimitz gray book the 4,000page gray book collection of fleet adm. Saving nimitzs graybook naval history magazine june. Chester henry nimitz february 24, 1885february 20, 1966 served as commander in chief of the u. Chester nimitz was an admiral s admiral, considered by many to be the greatest naval leader of the last century. Chester nimitz s communications that started in the wake of the pearl harbor attack and ran right up until the.
During the battles in the pacific during world war ii, admiral chester w. Nimitz explains blessings at pearl harbor the journalnews. Nns the aircraft carrier uss nimitz cvn 68 is celebrating the life of its namesake, fleet adm. Citations to that document will be made with a parenthetical hyperlink that. A closer look inside, however, reveals that this document is. Admiral nimitz is a superbly written biography of one of the towering but least known heroes of world war ii. Feb 27, 2014 washington the naval war college library in newport, r. Nimitz gray book, digitized and published by the naval war college. In midfebruary 2014, the naval war college unveiled an online 4000page gray book collection of fleet adm. This is a fantastic read and can give one insights on. Nimitz, usn nimitz graybook 7 december 1941 31 august 1945 volume 7 of 8 running estimate. Nimitz at the operational archives, naval history and heritage.
Chester nimitz that range from the pearl harbor attack to the days before japans surrender, has been digitized and will be unveiled monday as part of a live web program on the navys official blog. Layton is most noted for his work as an intelligence officer during and. Steele, usn, cincpac staff at pearl harbor, hawaii, covering the period 7 december 1941 to 31 august 1942 the 8 volumes are paginated as follows. Reflections on pearl harbor by admiral chester nimitz. The gray book, a collection of communications from fleet adm. Known as the nimitz gray book because the original volumes were bound in a gray cover the diary lends unprecedented insight into what the admiral. He was awarded the navy cross and three silver stars for valor in battle. Official, semiofficial, and personal correspondence, dispatches. Military historians and admiral nimitz museum officials cheered the release monday of an online version of the daybyday operational log that the famed seaman maintained during the war in the. Potters lively and authoritative style fleshes out admiral nimitzs personality to help readers appreciate the contributions he made as the principal architect of japans defeat.
In 1940, admiral nimitz s name was one of two submitted for the post of commander in chief of the pacific fleet. Nimitz to the allied victory in world war ii, and the significance evidenced of the gray book primary source collection. Nimitz at the operational archives, naval history and. Watch live unveiling of nimitz 4,000 page wwii diary. The naval history and heritage command, located at the washington navy yard, is responsible for the preservation, analysis, and dissemination of u. The socalled gray book because of the color of its cover represents fadm nimitz s diary for the pacific command from 7 december 7 1941, until two days before the japanese surrender in.
Chester nimitz military history oxford bibliographies. This compilation of nimitz correspondence with major commanders is called admiral nimitz command summary, running estimate. Chester nimitz communications that started with the the pearl harbor attack and were kept. Nimitzs 4000 page world war ii gray book being made available to the public. Dec 31, 2014 in midfebruary 2014, the naval war college unveiled an online 4000page gray book collection of fleet adm. Nimitz was responsible for the victories at midway and okinawa among others. Mar 15, 2008 called a great book worthy of a great man, this definitive biography of the commander in chief of the pacific fleet in world war ii, first published in 1976 and now available in paperback for the first time, continues to be considered the best book ever written about adm. The nimitz graybook access here the eight volumes of the nimitz gray book. Naval academy in 1905, he was on the china station. Fleet admiral chester william nimitz this brief biography of world war iis most successful admiral covers the highlights of his naval career. The socalled gray book because of the color of its cover represents fadm nimitz s diary for the pacific command from 7 december 7 1941, until two days before the japanese surrender in tokyo bay 31 august 1945. The book covers his full life, from a povertystricken childhood to postwar appointments as chief of naval operations and u. Navy taking the wraps off world war ii logs of admiral chester a.
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