"During the war I kept neither a diary nor notes. I had then neither the time nor the inclination, and like most sailors, who through necessity "travel light," I have not accumulated any substantial body of personal papers. Since my relief as Chief of Naval Operations on 15 December 1945, I have spent many hours in recalling the events of World War II and of my earlier life in the Navy. My source has been my memory, verified and supplemented by references to official records and by the recollections of officers who assisted me in my wartime duties. The reader must therefore take this book on faith, for its statements are not bolstered by citations of numerous documents. I must ask him to believe, however, that I have made a sincere and conscientious effort to avoid the inspiration of hindsight and to record matters as they seemed at the time."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Military leaders from the United StatesLegion of Honour recipientsPeople from ClevelandAviators from the United StatesNavy Cross recipients
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Introduction, p. viii
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ernest_King
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Ernest King
157 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Ernest King →
Related Quotes
"Every naval officer has a job to do. He should do that job out of a sense of duty and should not get recognition for …"
"Initiative means freedom to act, but it does not mean freedom to act in an offhand or casual manner."
"I don't know much about this thing called logistics. All I know is that I want some."
"Discipline is willing obedience to attain the greatest good by the greatest number. It means [the] laying aside, for …"
"Anyone who won't take a chance now and then isn't worth a damn."
"I don't care how good they are. Unless they get a kick in the ass every six weeks, they'll slack off."
"It must be the key idea of all hands that we will make the best of what we have."
"I expect the officers of the Atlantic Fleet to be the leaders of what may be called the pioneering spirit- to lead in…"
"There is work in plenty for all hands- officers and men."
"Don't tell them anything. When it's over, tell them who won."