Aubrey Fitch (FFG 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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ADMIRAL AUBREY WRAY FITCH Admiral Aubrey Wray Fitch. United States Navy C1883-19785, was an aviation hero of World War Il, former Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air, and Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. During the World War II Battle of Coral Sea. Admiral Fitch, then a rear admiral, commanded the American planes in the first naval battle in history entirely fought by aircraft, in which no ship on either side sighted the other. As Air Task Force Commander under Vice Admiral Frank lack Fletcher. Task Force Commander, his aircraft from the carriers USS LEXINGTON this flagshipj and USS YORKTOWN checked the japanese advance during the May 7-3, 1342 battle. His aircraft sank one carrier, damaged two others, and destroyed or severely damaged 135 aircraft. On the U.S. side, Lexington along with two support ships were lost, and Yorktown was damaged. Since this battle stopped the Iapanese southern conquests, it was a strategic American victory. The victory came the day after the surrender of Corregidor in the Philippines. From that low point Coral Sea represented the turn of the tide. Aubrey Fitch was born of British parents in St. Ignace, Michigan on Iune 11, 1883. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy from which he graduated in 1306. Following duty onboard various ships in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets,Aubrey Fitch became the Aide to the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet in 191-I. Later he served as Gunnery Officer on USS WYOMING, operating with the Sixth Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet during World War I. 4 O After serving from 1922 to 1927 as a member of the U.S. Mission to Brazil and later as Executive Officer of the USS NEVADA, he took naval aviation training, Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Aviator. He assumed command of USS LANGLEY, the first American aircraft Carrier, and later took command of USS LEXINGTON. After promotion to rear admiral in 1940, he reported as Commander Carrier Division One with his flag on USS SARATOGA. When the Iapa119SG struck Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Admiral Fitch took Carrier Division One from the west coast of the United States and penetrated deep into enemy WHIGFS beyond Midway and Wake Islands in search of the Iapanese. After various operations in the Pacific in the early stages of the war, he was appointed Commander Air Task Force Pacific and transferred his flag to USS LEXINGTON where he remained until LEXINGTON WHS sunk during the Battle of Coral Sea. At the time of the Battle of Midway, one month later, he commanded a task force with USS SARATOGA as flagship operating in the North Pacific, but his ships arrived too late to participate in the engagement. After promotion to ViC9 Admiral, he was selected as Commander Aircraft, South Pacific Fleet, under Admiral William E. Halsey, where he was in command of all shore based Army, Navy, Marine and New Zealand aircraft during the Guadalcanal campaign and the recapture of the SolomO11 Islands, the first American offensive campaigns of the Pacific War.