Marc Andrew
Mitscher, born 26 January 1887 in Hillsboro, Wis., graduated from
the U.S. Naval Academy 3 June 1910 and served 2 years at sea in
Colorado. Commissloned ensign 7 March 1912, he served in San Diego
during the Mexican campai gn, and in September 1915 he reported
for aviation training in North Carolina, one of the first ships
in the Navy to carry an airplane. Designated naval aviator No.
33 on 2 June 1816, he served at various east coast naval air stations
and in the Of flce of the Chief of Naval Operations before reporting
to Seaplane Division 1. On 10 May 1919 he took off from Newfoundland
as pilot of NC-1. His plane and NC-3 landed in heavy fog near
the Azores, but heavy seas prevented them from joining NC-4 in
comple ting the first transatlantic air passage. For his part
in this historic operation, Mitscher received the Navy Cross.
In addition
to several shore-based commands, Mitscher, during the next two
decades, served in carriers Langley and Saratoga, seaplane tender
Wright, and as commander Patrol Wing 1. Between June 1939 and
July 1941 he served as assistan t chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics.
Thence, he fitted out carrier Hornet and assumed command at her
commissioning 20 October 1941. While under his command, Hornet
launched Doolittle's Army bombers for airstrikes against Japan
18 April 1942 and thus gained fame as "Shangri La".
He captained her during the mighty battle of' Midway 4 to 6 June,
but was detached from the carrier 30 June less than 4 months before
her loss 26 October during the battle of Santa Cruz Islands.
Mitscher commanded
Patrol Wing 2 until December when he became commander fleet air,
Noumea. In April 1943 he became commander air, Solomon Islands,
and from August to January 1844 he commanded fleet air, west coast.
Returning to the central Paciflc as Com mander, Carrier Division
3, he was appointed vice admiral 21 March 1944 and ordered to
take command of TF 68. This fast carrier task force, which operated
alternately as TF 38, inflicted severe and irreparable damage
on Japanese ground installations and a gainst enemy naval and
merchant shipping. His hard-hitting, wideranging carriers pounded
the enemy from Trok to the Palaus, along the New Guinea coast,
and throughout the Marianas. His eager, resourceful aviators devastated
the enemy in the Battle of the Philippine Sea 19 to 20 June 1944.
During the next year his warring carriers spearheaded the thrust-of-death
against the heart of the Japanese Empire, covering successively
the invasion of the Palaus, the liberation of the Philippines,
and the conquest of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. During these operations
he repeatedly led the fast carriers northward to pound the Japanese
home islands.
By July 1946
when he returned to the United States to serve as Deputy Chief
of Naval Operations for Air, Mitscher had received, among other
awards, two Gold Stars in lieu of a second and third Navy Cross
and the Distinguished Service Medal with two Gold S tars. He served
briefly as commander 8th Fleet and on 1 Mareh 1946 became Commander-in-Chief,
U.S. Atlantic Fleet, with the rank as admiral. While serving in
that capacity, Mitscher died at Norfolk, Va., 3 February 1947.
Illustrated
by Iyapopo.
