"Among the assets the United States could count was one which Nimitz would never dream of listing- the man himself. Neither President Franklin D. Roosevelt nor Secretary Knox ever served his country better than when they passed over an impressive seniority list to select this gentle, courtly and highly respected Texan to command the U.S. Pacific Fleet in a desperate hour. Nimitz became a rear admiral in 1938, and had served as chief of the Bureau of Navigation in Navy Headquarters since June 15, 1939. There he gained a reputation for hard work, zealous attention to detail, efficient organization, strict conformity to official form, as well as mature and ethical judgments. He had hoped for a sea command, but perforce accepted another desk job with no complaint."
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Military leaders from the United StatesUnited States Navy peoplePeople from TexasUnited States Naval Academy alumniChiefs of Naval Operations (United States)
Original Language: English
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Sources
Gordon W. Prange, Miracle at Midway (1982), p. 10
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Chester_W._Nimitz
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Chester W. Nimitz
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