William D. Leahy
Encyclopedia
Fleet Admiral William Daniel Leahy (May 6, 1875 – July 20, 1959) was an American
naval officer, building his reputation through administration and staff work. As Chief of Naval Operations
(1937–39) he was the senior officer in Navy, overseeing the preparations for war. After retiring from the Navy he was appointed by his close friend President Franklin D. Roosevelt
as Governor of Puerto Rico
and, in his most controversial role, as Ambassador to France
, 1940-42.
Leahy was recalled to active duty as Chief of Staff to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
in 1942 and served in that position throughout World War II
, and continued under President Harry S. Truman
until finally retiring in 1949. In effect, though not in title, he was the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
; he also presided over the American delegation to the Combined Chiefs of Staff
. In these multiple roles he was at the center of all major American military decisions in World War II. As Fleet Admiral Leahy was the first U.S. naval officer ever to hold a five-star rank
in the U.S. Armed Forces.
before moving to Ashland, Wisconsin
. The son of a successful lawyer and Civil War veteran, Leahy had wanted to attend West Point and follow in his father's footsteps. Instead he attended United States Naval Academy
, graduating 15th in his class of 47 in 1897.
Leahy was assigned to , then in the Pacific. He was in that battleship when she made her famous dash through the Strait of Magellan, and around South America in the spring of 1898 to participate in the Battle of Santiago
on July 3 during the Spanish-American War
. This was the only battle Leahy ever saw in person.
Having completed the two years of sea duty then required by law, Leahy was commissioned Ensign
on July 1, 1899. At that time, he was on the Asiatic Station, where, during the Philippine-American War
and the Boxer Rebellion
in China
, he served on and and commanded the gunboat . He returned to the United States in 1902, and for the next five years did duty onboard the and which were stationed in Panama
during the early period of construction of the canal
.
His first shore duty was at the Naval Academy
. Beginning in 1907, he served as instructor in the Department of Physics and Chemistry for two years. He went to sea in 1909 and served as navigator of the armored cruiser
in the Pacific Fleet
. October 18, 1911, Lt. Cmdr. Leahy served as naval aide to President William Howard Taft
, at the laying of the keel of , at Mare Island
. During the American Occupation of Nicaragua in 1912, he was Chief of Staff to the Commander Naval Forces there.
Late in 1912, he came ashore in Washington
as Assistant Director of Gunnery Exercises and Engineering Competitions. In 1913, he was assigned to the Bureau of Navigation
as a detail officer where he served until 1915. At that time, he took command of the dispatch gunboat , and established a very close friendship with, the then Assistant Secretary of the Navy
, Franklin D. Roosevelt who cruised with him on the ship. He was in that assignment in early 1917 in West Indian waters and had additional duty as Senior Aide on the Staff of Commander Squadron Three of the Patrol Force Atlantic Fleet
.
He served for almost a year as the Executive Officer of and in April 1918 went to command , formerly Princess Alice, transporting troops to France
. It was during this tour that he was awarded the Navy Cross
.
After a short cruise in that command, he came ashore in 1918 and served for three years as director of Gunnery Exercises and Engineering Competition in the Navy Department, and as senior member of the Fire Control Board.
In 1921, he went to sea in command of , flagship of the Naval Detachment in Turkish waters during the war between Turkey and Greece. At the end of that war, he was given command of Mine Squadron One, and in 1922 further additional duty as commander, Control Force.
He returned to the U.S., and from 1923 to 1926, he served as Director of Officer Personnel in the Bureau of Navigation
, and then had one year in command of the battleship .
In 1927, he reached flag rank and became Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
. After almost four years, he went to sea in 1931 as Commander Destroyers Scouting Force.
His son, William Harrington Leahy
, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1927 and was engaged in pre-World War II naval intelligence
.
In 1933, he came ashore in Washington
as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation
for two years, when he went to sea as a vice admiral
, and Commander Battleships Battle Force. In 1936, he hoisted his four-star flag in as Commander in Chief Battle Force.
He was appointed Chief of Naval Operations
, took the oath of office in January 1937 to serve until August 1939 when he was placed on the retired list. On that occasion, President Roosevelt said "Bill, if we have a war, you're going to be right back here helping me run it."
Before retiring as CNO, Leahy joined his wife Louise Harrington Leahy when she sponsored , which commissioned
on March 20, 1939.
(later referred to as Vichy France
for the city in which the capital was located) in 1941 following that country's capitulation to Germany. Leahy relates in his memoir I Was There that (his) "major task was to keep the French on our side in so far as possible". He was recalled in May 1942.
The U.S. supplied food and medical aid to the Vichy regime and to French North Africa, hoping in return to moderate Vichy collaboration with Germany and to avoid an open Vichy-German alliance in the Mediterranean. American aid proved too little to buy French support over North Africa.
of the Navy, General George Marshall
of the Army and General Henry Arnold of the Army Air Forces. The service chiefs resisted this move until Marshall suggested that only Leahy would be accepted in this post. On July 6, 1942, Leahy was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army and Navy, the President of the United States.
Leahy spent D-Day
, June 6, 1944, in his home town of Hampton, Iowa
. This well-publicized "sentimental journey" was part of the deception efforts surrounding the Allied invasion of Europe. The idea was to lull any German agents in Washington, D.C.
or elsewhere in the US into believing that the operation would not take place while such an important officer was out of the capital.
Leahy was appointed the first US Fleet Admiral on December 15, 1944.
After Vannevar Bush
explained how the atomic bomb worked, Leahy told President Harry S. Truman
, "This is the biggest fool thing we have ever done. The bomb will never go off, and I speak as an expert in explosives." After the bomb was tested, Leahy was strongly opposed to its use in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
. In his memoir, he wrote:
After mediating between the United States Navy and the Government of Puerto Rico over the involuntary transfer of part of the islands of Vieques
and Culebra
to naval authorities, Leahy resigned in March 1949 and the following year published his war memoirs, I Was There.
A bilingual book, "Las memorias de Leahy: los relatos del almirante William D. Leahy sobre su gobernación de Puerto Rico (1939-1940)" listing his diary entries from Puerto Rico in both Spanish and English, was published by the Luis Muñoz Marín
Foundation in 2001.
in Bethesda, Maryland
, July 20, 1959 at the age of eighty-four. He was given a Special Military Funeral
on the following July 23.rd The body of Leahy was viewed at the Bethlehem Chapel at the Washington National Cathedral
from July 22 at noon until noon on the 23.rd The funeral service was held in the cathedral at 1400 on July 23rd and the burial was in Arlington National Cemetery
. The gravesite was in Section 2, about midway between Memorial Gate and the Memorial Amphitheater.
Honorary pallbearers were Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Admiral Thomas C. Hart
, Admiral Charles P. Snyder
, Admiral Louis E. Denfeld
, Admiral Arthur W. Radford
, Vice Adm. Edward L. Cochrane
and Rear Adm. Henry Williams all retired from service. Active military servicemen who were honorary pallbearers were Admiral Jerauld Wright
, Admiral Robert L. Dennison. Rear Adm. Joseph H. Wellings, and a close friend William D. Hassett.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
naval officer, building his reputation through administration and staff work. As Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
(1937–39) he was the senior officer in Navy, overseeing the preparations for war. After retiring from the Navy he was appointed by his close friend President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
as Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
and, in his most controversial role, as Ambassador to France
United States Ambassador to France
This article is about the United States Ambassador to France. There has been a United States Ambassador to France since the American Revolution. The United States sent its first envoys to France in 1776, towards the end of the four-centuries-old Bourbon dynasty...
, 1940-42.
Leahy was recalled to active duty as Chief of Staff to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
in 1942 and served in that position throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and continued under President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
until finally retiring in 1949. In effect, though not in title, he was the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
; he also presided over the American delegation to the Combined Chiefs of Staff
Combined Chiefs of Staff
The Combined Chiefs of Staff was the supreme military command for the western Allies during World War II. It was a body constituted from the British Chiefs of Staff Committee and the American Joint Chiefs of Staff....
. In these multiple roles he was at the center of all major American military decisions in World War II. As Fleet Admiral Leahy was the first U.S. naval officer ever to hold a five-star rank
Rank
-Position within a command hierarchy requiring obedience:*Military rank* Police rank* Fire service rank* Nobility, ranks of nobility and peerage* Catholic Church hierarchy* Diplomatic rank* Taxonomic rank, a position within a taxonomy...
in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Early life
Leahy was born in Hampton, IowaHampton, Iowa
Hampton is a city in Franklin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,461 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County...
before moving to Ashland, Wisconsin
Ashland, Wisconsin
Ashland is a city in Ashland and Bayfield counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The city is a port on Lake Superior, near the head of Chequamegon Bay. The population was 8,695 at the 2010 census....
. The son of a successful lawyer and Civil War veteran, Leahy had wanted to attend West Point and follow in his father's footsteps. Instead he attended United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, graduating 15th in his class of 47 in 1897.
Naval service and retirement
MidshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
Leahy was assigned to , then in the Pacific. He was in that battleship when she made her famous dash through the Strait of Magellan, and around South America in the spring of 1898 to participate in the Battle of Santiago
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba, fought between Spain and the United States on 3 July 1898, was the largest naval engagement of the Spanish-American War and resulted in the destruction of the Spanish Navy's Caribbean Squadron.-Spanish Fleet:...
on July 3 during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. This was the only battle Leahy ever saw in person.
Having completed the two years of sea duty then required by law, Leahy was commissioned Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
on July 1, 1899. At that time, he was on the Asiatic Station, where, during the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
and the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, he served on and and commanded the gunboat . He returned to the United States in 1902, and for the next five years did duty onboard the and which were stationed in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
during the early period of construction of the canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
.
His first shore duty was at the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. Beginning in 1907, he served as instructor in the Department of Physics and Chemistry for two years. He went to sea in 1909 and served as navigator of the armored cruiser
Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
in the Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
. October 18, 1911, Lt. Cmdr. Leahy served as naval aide to President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, at the laying of the keel of , at Mare Island
Mare Island
Mare Island is a peninsula in the United States alongside the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the east side of San Pablo Bay. Mare Island is considered a peninsula because no full...
. During the American Occupation of Nicaragua in 1912, he was Chief of Staff to the Commander Naval Forces there.
Late in 1912, he came ashore in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as Assistant Director of Gunnery Exercises and Engineering Competitions. In 1913, he was assigned to the Bureau of Navigation
Bureau of Navigation
The Bureau of Navigation was an agency of the U.S. government established in 1884 to enforce laws relating to the construction, equipment, operation, inspection, safety, and documentation of merchant vessels. The Bureau of Navigation was an agency of the U.S. government established in 1884 to...
as a detail officer where he served until 1915. At that time, he took command of the dispatch gunboat , and established a very close friendship with, the then Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Assistant Secretary of the Navy is the title given to certain civilian senior officials in the United States Department of the Navy....
, Franklin D. Roosevelt who cruised with him on the ship. He was in that assignment in early 1917 in West Indian waters and had additional duty as Senior Aide on the Staff of Commander Squadron Three of the Patrol Force Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
.
He served for almost a year as the Executive Officer of and in April 1918 went to command , formerly Princess Alice, transporting troops to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was during this tour that he was awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
.
After a short cruise in that command, he came ashore in 1918 and served for three years as director of Gunnery Exercises and Engineering Competition in the Navy Department, and as senior member of the Fire Control Board.
In 1921, he went to sea in command of , flagship of the Naval Detachment in Turkish waters during the war between Turkey and Greece. At the end of that war, he was given command of Mine Squadron One, and in 1922 further additional duty as commander, Control Force.
He returned to the U.S., and from 1923 to 1926, he served as Director of Officer Personnel in the Bureau of Navigation
Bureau of Navigation
The Bureau of Navigation was an agency of the U.S. government established in 1884 to enforce laws relating to the construction, equipment, operation, inspection, safety, and documentation of merchant vessels. The Bureau of Navigation was an agency of the U.S. government established in 1884 to...
, and then had one year in command of the battleship .
In 1927, he reached flag rank and became Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
. After almost four years, he went to sea in 1931 as Commander Destroyers Scouting Force.
His son, William Harrington Leahy
William Harrington Leahy
William Harrington Leahy was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy.-Biography:Leahy was born on October 27, 1904 in San Francisco, California. His father was Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy. Leahy married Elizabeth Marbury Beale on July 23, 1927 and had two children, Louise Harrington and Robert...
, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1927 and was engaged in pre-World War II naval intelligence
Office of Naval Intelligence
The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland...
.
In 1933, he came ashore in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation
Bureau of Navigation
The Bureau of Navigation was an agency of the U.S. government established in 1884 to enforce laws relating to the construction, equipment, operation, inspection, safety, and documentation of merchant vessels. The Bureau of Navigation was an agency of the U.S. government established in 1884 to...
for two years, when he went to sea as a vice admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
, and Commander Battleships Battle Force. In 1936, he hoisted his four-star flag in as Commander in Chief Battle Force.
He was appointed Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
, took the oath of office in January 1937 to serve until August 1939 when he was placed on the retired list. On that occasion, President Roosevelt said "Bill, if we have a war, you're going to be right back here helping me run it."
Before retiring as CNO, Leahy joined his wife Louise Harrington Leahy when she sponsored , which commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on March 20, 1939.
Governor of Puerto Rico
From September 1939-November 1940, Leahy served as Governor of Puerto Rico. He oversaw the development of military bases and stations across the island while serving as governor. He took an open stance of not intervening directly in local politics, attempted to understand and respect local customs, and initiated various major public works projects in the island. While given the unflattering sobriquet "Almirante Lija" ("Admiral Sandpaper") by locals, based on his family name, he was regarded as one of the most lenient American governors of the several that served Puerto Rico in the first half of the 20th century.Ambassador to France
Leahy was appointed Ambassador to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(later referred to as Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
for the city in which the capital was located) in 1941 following that country's capitulation to Germany. Leahy relates in his memoir I Was There that (his) "major task was to keep the French on our side in so far as possible". He was recalled in May 1942.
The U.S. supplied food and medical aid to the Vichy regime and to French North Africa, hoping in return to moderate Vichy collaboration with Germany and to avoid an open Vichy-German alliance in the Mediterranean. American aid proved too little to buy French support over North Africa.
Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief
After the United States entered World War II, President Roosevelt decided he needed a senior military officer as personal adviser and point of contact with his three service chiefs, Admiral Ernest KingErnest King
Fleet Admiral Ernest Joseph King was Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II. As COMINCH, he directed the United States Navy's operations, planning, and administration and was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the U.S...
of the Navy, General George Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
of the Army and General Henry Arnold of the Army Air Forces. The service chiefs resisted this move until Marshall suggested that only Leahy would be accepted in this post. On July 6, 1942, Leahy was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army and Navy, the President of the United States.
Leahy spent D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, June 6, 1944, in his home town of Hampton, Iowa
Hampton, Iowa
Hampton is a city in Franklin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,461 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County...
. This well-publicized "sentimental journey" was part of the deception efforts surrounding the Allied invasion of Europe. The idea was to lull any German agents in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
or elsewhere in the US into believing that the operation would not take place while such an important officer was out of the capital.
Leahy was appointed the first US Fleet Admiral on December 15, 1944.
Atomic bomb
Vannevar Bush
Vannevar Bush was an American engineer and science administrator known for his work on analog computing, his political role in the development of the atomic bomb as a primary organizer of the Manhattan Project, the founding of Raytheon, and the idea of the memex, an adjustable microfilm viewer...
explained how the atomic bomb worked, Leahy told President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, "This is the biggest fool thing we have ever done. The bomb will never go off, and I speak as an expert in explosives." After the bomb was tested, Leahy was strongly opposed to its use in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
. In his memoir, he wrote:
"Once it had been tested, President Truman faced the decision as to whether to use it. He did not like the idea, but he was persuaded that it would shorten the war against Japan and save American lives. It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons... My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make wars in that fashion, and that wars cannot be won by destroying women and children."
After mediating between the United States Navy and the Government of Puerto Rico over the involuntary transfer of part of the islands of Vieques
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...
and Culebra
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Isla Culebra is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately east of the Puerto Rican mainland, west of St. Thomas and north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra Pueblo...
to naval authorities, Leahy resigned in March 1949 and the following year published his war memoirs, I Was There.
A bilingual book, "Las memorias de Leahy: los relatos del almirante William D. Leahy sobre su gobernación de Puerto Rico (1939-1940)" listing his diary entries from Puerto Rico in both Spanish and English, was published by the Luis Muñoz Marín
Luis Muñoz Marín
Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
Foundation in 2001.
Special Military Funeral
Leahy died at the U.S. Naval HospitalNational Naval Medical Center
The National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, USA — commonly known as the Bethesda Naval Hospital — was for decades the flagship of the United States Navy's system of medical centers. A federal institution, it conducted medical and dental research as well as providing health care for...
in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
, July 20, 1959 at the age of eighty-four. He was given a Special Military Funeral
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
on the following July 23.rd The body of Leahy was viewed at the Bethlehem Chapel at the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
from July 22 at noon until noon on the 23.rd The funeral service was held in the cathedral at 1400 on July 23rd and the burial was in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. The gravesite was in Section 2, about midway between Memorial Gate and the Memorial Amphitheater.
Honorary pallbearers were Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Admiral Thomas C. Hart
Thomas C. Hart
Thomas Charles Hart was an admiral of the United States Navy, whose service extended from the Spanish-American War through World War II. Following his retirement from the Navy, he served briefly as a United States Senator from Connecticut.-Life and career:Hart was born in Genesee County, Michigan...
, Admiral Charles P. Snyder
Charles P. Snyder (admiral)
Charles Philip Snyder was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as the U.S. Navy's first Naval Inspector General during World War II.-Early career:...
, Admiral Louis E. Denfeld
Louis E. Denfeld
Louis Emil Denfeld , was Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy from 15 December 1947 to 1 November 1949. He also held several significant surface commands during World War II, and after the war commanded the U.S...
, Admiral Arthur W. Radford
Arthur W. Radford
Arthur William Radford was a United States Navy Admiral, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Command and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Arthur Radford was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1896...
, Vice Adm. Edward L. Cochrane
Edward L. Cochrane
Vice Admiral Edward Lull "Ned" Cochrane was a United States Navy officer and noted naval architect who served as Chief of the Bureau of Ships during World War II...
and Rear Adm. Henry Williams all retired from service. Active military servicemen who were honorary pallbearers were Admiral Jerauld Wright
Jerauld Wright
Admiral Jerauld Wright, USN, served as the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Command and the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S...
, Admiral Robert L. Dennison. Rear Adm. Joseph H. Wellings, and a close friend William D. Hassett.
Dates of rank
- MidshipmanMidshipmanA midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
: 1897, 15th of class of 47
| Ensign | Lieutenant Junior Grade Lieutenant, Junior Grade Lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, United States Merchant Marine USMM, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade... |
Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant commander (United States) Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3... |
Commander Commander (United States) In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States... |
Captain |
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| O-1 | O-2 | O-3 | O-4 | O-5 | O-6 |
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| July 1, 1899 | July 1, 1902 | December 31, 1903 | September 15, 1909 | August 29, 1916 | July 1, 1918 |
| Commodore | Rear Admiral Rear admiral (United States) Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :... |
Vice Admiral Vice admiral (United States) In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of... |
Admiral Admiral (United States) In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health... |
Fleet Admiral |
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| O-7 | O-8 | O-9 | O-10 | O-11 |
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| Not Held | October 14, 1927 | July 13, 1935 | January 2, 1937 | December 15, 1944 |
Decorations and awards
| Navy Cross Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all... |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast... with two gold stars |
Sampson Medal Sampson Medal The Sampson Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was first authorized in 1901. The decoration was awarded to those personnel who were assigned in the fleet of Rear Admiral William T... |
Spanish Campaign Medal Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those members of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish-American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal, one for members of the United... |
| Philippine Campaign Medal Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under... |
Nicaraguan Campaign Medal Nicaraguan Campaign Medal The Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was authorized by Presidential Order of Woodrow Wilson on September 22, 1913. The medal was again authorized by an act of the United States Congress on November 8, 1929... (1912) |
Mexican Service Medal Mexican Service Medal The Mexican Service Medal is an award of the United States military which was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December 12, 1917... |
Dominican Campaign Medal Dominican Campaign Medal The Dominican Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was created on December 29, 1921. The medal recognizes service performed by the Navy, and the United States Marine Corps, in the Dominican Republic in the year 1916.... |
| World War I Victory Medal with "Overseas" clasp | American Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt... |
World War II Victory Medal | National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... |
Further reading
- Adams, Henry H. Witness to Power: The Life of Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy (Naval Institute Press, 1985) 348 pp. the standard scholarly biography
- Hayes, Grace P. The history of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in World War II (1982) 964 pages
- Langer, William L. Our Vichy gamble (1947)
External links
- http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/IV/USMC-IV-A.html
- Official Website of Adm. William D. Leahy
- Naval War College Guide to Archives, Manuscripts -2001
- Leahy, William D. Library of Congress Archives: Papers, 1897-1959 (8,000 items)
- Paradoxes of Naval History: Witness to Power: The Life of Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy
- President Roosevelt to the Appointed Ambassador to France (Leahy) on December 20, 1940
- Chronology regarding Truman and the A-bomb:
From 8/2/45 - 8/10/45 with Smyth report on atomic bomb (August 6, 1951) - US Navy Historic Center biography of William Leahy
- arlingtoncemetery.net: Biography of William D. Leahy
- Annotated bibliography for William D. Leahy from the Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues
- The Last Salute: Civil and Military Funeral, 1921-1969, CHAPTER XVII, Former Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, Special Military Funeral, 20-23 July 1959 by B. C. Mossman and M. W. Stark. United States Army Center of Military History.