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88-528: During the administration of Admiral Raymond Spruance as president of the Naval War College (1946-1948), plans were initiated to establish a resident civilian faculty, composed of prominent academics who would be visiting faculty members for a full academic year. In a separate, but related initiative in 1948, the Chief of Naval Personnel, Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague , suggested to the commandants of

176-569: A battle-proven expert in carrier warfare. Spruance assumed command of Task Force 16 with its two carriers, USS  Enterprise and USS  Hornet , under battle command of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher . Fletcher would command Task Force 17 , but the task force flagship, USS  Yorktown , had been badly damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the formation's other carrier, Lexington , had been sunk, but at Nimitz's behest Yorktown

264-474: A circulation of 6,000 copies and was being distributed to major commands. At that point, the name was changed to Naval War College Review and, in December 1953, the publication was down-graded to "For Official Use Only", a security classification that remained in effect until September 1964. Further changes in editorial policy that allowed the journal to publish articles by civilian academics did not occur until

352-501: A crisis. A protest march that fall from the school to Indianapolis Public Schools offices was supported by 200 students. In 1965, the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners turned Shortridge into an all-academic high school. Beginning in the 1966–67 school year, an entrance examination was required for enrollment. In the 1966–67 school year only 272 freshmen enrolled, 46% of whom were black. Though efforts were made over

440-490: A daily paper, we had a debating team, had a fencing team. We had a chorus, a jazz band, a serious orchestra. And all this with a Great Depression going on. And I wanted everybody to have such a school." Indianapolis High School (renamed Shortridge High School in 1896) opened in 1864 as the state of Indiana's first free public high school. Its original location (1864-1867) was in the former Ward 1 Elementary School at Vermont and New Jersey Streets. The second location (1867-1872)

528-452: A day. He was fond of symphonic music, and his tastes were generally simple. He never smoked, and drank little. He enjoyed hot chocolate and would make it for himself every morning. Besides his family, he loved the companionship of his pet schnauzer, Peter. Fit into his 70s, Spruance spent most of his retirement days wearing old khakis and work shoes and working in his garden and greenhouse; he loved to show them to visitors. His achievements in

616-469: A desegregation plan which addressed only one of the three underlying charges. In 1971, U.S. District Judge S. Hugh Dillin found the IPS Board of School Commissioners to be guilty of de jure segregation. Many large and small protests and causes occurred at Shortridge during the late 1960s. This was a trend seen at other local high schools, colleges, and American society in general. One in particular

704-500: A distraught officer rushed to report, "Captain, we've just dropped a depth charge over the stern!" "Well, pick it up and put it back," was Spruance's measured response. He began attendance at the Naval War College in 1926, and graduated in 1927. Spruance served as executive officer of USS Mississippi from October 1929 to June 1931. He also held several engineering, intelligence, staff and Naval War College positions up to

792-573: A few months after the end of the war. On October 16, 1946, the former Secretary of War , Robert P. Patterson , presented the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Admiral Spruance, with citation as follows: Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, U.S. Navy, as Task Force Commander during the capture of the Marshall and Marianas Islands, rendered exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services from January to June 1944. During

880-666: A fire hose amidship. Determining that New Mexico was not too badly damaged to remain on station, Spruance kept her as his flagship. Spruance later chose the battleship USS  New Jersey as his flagship, as the huge Iowa -class battleship had both room for his staff and the speed to keep up with the fast carrier task forces. Spruance received the Navy Cross for his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Spruance succeeded Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas in November 1945,

968-504: A heavy price, flying in piece-meal and mostly without fighter escort. The battle commenced on the morning of June 4; the first several waves of U.S. attack aircraft were badly beaten, both near Midway and at sea around the Japanese task force. Then U.S. dive bombers from Spruance's Enterprise flew to Nagumo's fleet of four carriers – which, fatefully, were without air cover. Most of Nagumo's attack planes had just returned from

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1056-477: A knack for getting along with difficult people, including his friend Admiral Kelly Turner , the hotheaded commander of 5th Fleet's amphibious force. One exception was Admiral John Towers , a constant critic of Spruance, whom Spruance came to despise for his naked ambition. Most common sailors were proud to serve under Halsey; most higher-ranking officers preferred to serve under Spruance. Captain George C. Dyer of

1144-436: A lecture by Vice Admiral Robert B. Carney 's Naval War College lecture, "Logistical Planning for War", as its lead article. It was initially classified as "Restricted" and issued only to individual officers in the grades of lieutenant commander, major, and above, not to naval activities or commands. The first issue had a circulation of 3,000 copies. In its fifth year of publication, Information Service for Officers had reached

1232-590: A much-abbreviated Echo still won the second place overall award from the Columbia University Scholastic Press Association. Michael N. Selby and Edie Cassell were the last co-editors-in-chief, and Chris Keys was the last sports editor of the Shortridge Weekly Echo when it ceased publication with the school's closure in 1981. When Shortridge was reopened as a high school in 2009, students brought back

1320-467: A new building at its current location at 34th and Meridian Street on the north side of Indianapolis. The environment in the school in the 1950s was described in the novel Going All The Way by Shortridge High alumnus Dan Wakefield (published in 1970 and adapted to film in 1997). In 1957, a Time Magazine article named Shortridge High as one of the top 38 high schools in the United States. At

1408-583: A sea action aboard one of the ships engaged. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer. While screening the American invasion of Saipan in June 1944, Spruance defeated the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea . Although he broke the back of the Japanese naval air force by sinking three carriers, two oilers and destroying about 600 enemy airplanes (so many that

1496-460: A second strike from Hiryū would fatally cripple Fletcher's flagship, Yorktown and as a result, Fletcher passed command to Spruance, who would command the mop-up phase of the battle. The U.S. Navy counterforce sank all four Japanese carriers while losing one of its own, Yorktown . The repulse of the Japanese invasion fleet at Midway, and critically the destruction of the Kido Butai , allowed

1584-487: A sound constitution, and myself for taking care of that constitution." About his intellect he was equally unpretentious: "Some people believe that when I am quiet that I am thinking some deep and important thoughts, when the fact is that I am thinking of nothing at all. My mind is blank." The destroyers Spruance  (DD-963) , lead ship of the Spruance class of destroyers, and Spruance  (DDG-111) , 61st ship of

1672-594: A specific field. Shortridge retained its International Baccalaureate program and added the system's Arts and Humanities program that had been previously hosted at the former Broad Ripple High School . Out of 374 public high schools in Indiana , Shortridge ranked 130th in U.S. News & World Report ' s 2022 ranking. In 2013, the band Tenth Avenue North performed in Caleb Mills Hall. Previously, in 1981, Carl Perkins also performed there. In 1898,

1760-704: A youth project run by the Reverend Luther Hicks. Reverend Hicks calmed the students and helped them to plan a non-violent protest. The students returned to Shortridge and gathered in front of the building and shouted various protest chants (e.g. “Say it loud! I’m black and I’m proud.”). As the protest continued, the police were called, and thirty students and adults were taken to the Marion County Jail. Most were charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. One civil rights leader, Griffin Bell,

1848-467: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This military magazine or journal–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . See tips for writing articles about magazines . Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page . Raymond Spruance Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 – December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II . He commanded U.S. naval forces during

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1936-632: Is a public high school located in Indianapolis, Indiana , United States. Shortridge is the home of the International Baccalaureate and arts and humanities programs of the Indianapolis Public Schools district (IPS). Originally known as Indianapolis High School , it opened in 1864 and is Indiana's oldest free public high school. New Albany High School (1853) was Indiana's first public high school, but

2024-579: Is concerned, if I could have got it along with Bill Halsey, that would have been fine; but, if I had received it instead of Bill Halsey, I would have been very unhappy over it. Spruance was President of the Naval War College from February 1946 until he retired from the Navy in July 1948. He was decorated with Order of Leopold and Croix de guerre with Palm by the Government of Belgium for his service for

2112-417: Is sometimes referred to as "The Shortridge Incident." In February 1969, Shortridge student Otto Breeding was arrested for "disorderly conduct" after a disagreement with school officials over appropriate clothing. He had been asked to not wear a T-shirt advertising a radical black organization. Students who felt this was unfair attempted to disrupt the school, pulling fire alarms, and chanting “ Black Power ” in

2200-489: The Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, were named in his honor. The main auditorium of the U.S. Naval War College , Newport, Rhode Island , is named Spruance Hall . A bust of Spruance is in the lobby. Spruance was portrayed by Glenn Ford (a US Naval Reserve officer himself) in the 1976 film Midway , and by Jake Weber in the 2019 film Midway . Shortridge High School Shortridge High School

2288-695: The Battle of the Philippine Sea , one of the most significant naval battles of the Pacific Theatre . He also commanded Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway , comprising the carriers Enterprise and Hornet . At Midway, dive bombers from Enterprise sank four larger carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy . Most historians consider Midway the turning point of the Pacific War. Official Navy historian Samuel Eliot Morison characterized Spruance's performance as "superb", and he

2376-640: The Echo as well and has been published as either a daily or weekly. In a state where basketball is king, Shortridge High had its moment in the sun in the 1967–68 season. The Blue Devils ran up a 17-4 record, reaching the final game of the Indiana state championship , only to lose by eight points; they finished the season at 25-5 (.833). However, over the years Shortridge High won state championships in golf (five titles, three times runners-up), wrestling (twice), track and field (twice, and runners-up twice), and cross country (twice, and runners-up twice). Late in

2464-586: The Guadalcanal campaign . Before Midway, a small and fractional U.S. Navy faced an overwhelmingly larger and battle-hardened Japanese Combined Fleet . After Midway, although the Japanese still held a temporary advantage in vessels and planes, the U.S. Navy and the nation gained confidence and, most critically, time. The setback in the Japanese timetable to encircle the Pacific gave the U.S. industrial machine time to crank up war production, and ultimately, to turn

2552-580: The Indiana Supreme Court to decide jurisdiction. Eventually, all charges against the students were dismissed and three civil rights leaders were given fines, with one receiving six months at the Indiana State Prison Farm. Shortridge High School was closed for several years beginning in 1981. Following a major renovation, Shortridge was then reopened in 1984 up as a junior high school for grades 7 and 8. In 1993, grade 6

2640-755: The Percival during the sea trials off the California coast and during the patrol cruises with the Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet until May 1922, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C. , for duty in the Bureau of Engineering under Rear Admiral John K. Robison . While in that capacity he assumed additional duty as a member of the board on doctrine of aircraft in connection with fleet fire control. Spruance served in Washington until early 1924, when he

2728-463: The Soryu . All three were eventually scuttled . Hiryū , the surviving carrier, gave the Japanese some brief respite by sending strikes that again damaged Yorktown . But several hours later—near the end of daylight hours—a U.S. scout plane located Hiryū again. Fletcher quickly ordered his dive bombers to strike, which fatally damaged the fourth Japanese carrier; it was scuttled the next day. However

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2816-459: The light cruiser Astoria , who served under both Spruance and Halsey, summed up the view of many ship captains: My feeling was one of confidence when Spruance was there. When you moved into Admiral Halsey's command from Admiral Spruance's … you moved [into] an area in which you never knew what you were going to do in the next five minutes or how you were going to do it, because the printed instructions were never up to date.... He never did things

2904-536: The metric system , and many others. Found in senate records located at the Indiana Historical Society . Written in 1914-1915 by the senate of Shortridge. September 18, eight female students were instated into the senate. The senate was made up of a majority of young women. Senators are actually students representing each actual Senator. In the case of women's suffrage, the debates the students had involved included arguments that were happening in

2992-429: The 1920s, Indianapolis Public Schools decided to build a fifth building at the northeast corner of 34th and Meridian Streets. Construction began in 1927, and the school opened in 1928. This fifth iteration is the school's current building. Abraham C. Shortridge was recruited to become school superintendent in 1863. Shortridge was a strict educator when it came to drilling students and faculty alike. However, he

3080-535: The 1940s. He served as an instructor at the Naval War College from 1935 to 1938. He commanded the battleship USS Mississippi from April 1938 to December 1939, when he was promoted to rear admiral . On February 26, 1940, Spruance reported as commandant of the 10th Naval District with headquarters at Naval Station Isla Grande in San Juan, Puerto Rico . On August 1, 1941, he finished his tour in Puerto Rico. In

3168-648: The Allied cause. Shortly before his retirement, Spruance received the following Letter of Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy: Your brilliant record of achievement in World War II played a decisive part in our victory in the Pacific. At the crucial Battle of Midway your daring and skilled leadership routed the enemy in the full tide of his advance and established the pattern of air-sea warfare which

3256-603: The Army and Fleet Admiral . The Navy, by law, was limited to four fleet admirals; three of these appointments were obvious: Ernest King, Chester Nimitz and William Leahy . The fourth was a choice between Halsey and Spruance, and after much deliberation, eventually Halsey was appointed in December 1945. Spruance's achievements were acknowledged by the unique distinction of a special act of Congress awarding him Admiral's full pay for life. Spruance expressed his personal feelings on this matter as follows: So far as my getting five star rank

3344-688: The Japanese in the western Pacific: striking the Gilbert and Marshall islands in February 1942, Wake Island in March, and projecting the air power of the Doolittle Raid against the Japanese homeland in April. These raids were critical to morale—setting a new tone of aggressiveness by U.S. commanders while providing invaluable battle experience for the commanders and sailors of the U.S. Navy. During

3432-538: The Midway engagement which resulted in the defeat of and heavy losses to the enemy fleet, his seamanship, endurance, and tenacity in handling his task force were of the highest quality." Both Fletcher and Nimitz recommended Spruance for the Distinguished Service Medal for his role in the battle. The Battle of Midway is considered by many to be a turning point of the war in the Pacific, along with

3520-426: The U.S. government would be induced to sue for peace. On the other hand, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester Nimitz knew he must intercept the Japanese invasion fleet, and that he must give battle to the enemy aircraft carriers before they could project their overwhelming power against the naval air station at Midway. Fewer than two days before launch from Pearl Harbor, Nimitz's commander of

3608-426: The U.S. to gain parity in the naval air war. In 1949, naval historian Samuel Eliot Morison noted that Spruance was subjected to criticism for not pursuing the retreating Japanese and allowing the surface fleet to escape. But in summing up Spruance's performance in the battle, Morison wrote: "Fletcher did well, but Spruance's performance was superb. Calm, collected, decisive, yet receptive to advice; keeping in his mind

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3696-626: The United States, Spruance served aboard transport ship USS  Agamemnon , before he was ordered to Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine , for duty in connection with fitting out of destroyer USS  Aaron Ward in March 1919. He commanded that vessel during the patrols with the Atlantic Fleet until January 1920, when he assumed command of newly commissioned destroyer USS  Percival in San Francisco , California . He commanded

3784-492: The advantage on Japan in the production of ships, planes, guns, and all the other matériel of war. The Battle of Midway infused the U.S. Pacific Navy with confidence. And with this battle the American forces gained, and afterwards continued to gain, hard combat experience; so the Japanese lost that crucial advantage as well. Shortly after the Midway battle, Spruance became chief of staff to Admiral Nimitz, and in September 1942

3872-543: The battleship Mississippi . In 1916 he aided in the fitting out of the battleship Pennsylvania and he served on board her from her commissioning in June 1916 until November 1917. During the last year of World War I he was assigned as Assistant Engineer Officer of the New York Naval Shipyard , and carried out temporary duty in London , England and Edinburgh , Scotland. Following his return to

3960-424: The building of a new school for African-American students. Abraham Shortridge, who had become the superintendent of IPS schools at the time, fought against the arguments from white parents, asking if they wanted to pay the taxes to build a new school just for her. She was the first of a number of black students to graduate from Shortridge prior to the opening of Crispus Attucks High School . The Shortridge Senate

4048-458: The carrier force. Armed with this information, Fletcher ordered Spruance to launch a strike at the Japanese with Enterprise and Hornet while holding Yorktown in reserve in case the other Japanese carriers were discovered. Since the Japanese planes were returning from the Midway strike, Spruance ordered that his strike be launched without delay so as to maximize the chances that the Japanese carriers would be caught while landing planes or spotting

4136-608: The city had only followed school segregation by custom and not by law. Notably, the creation of Crispus Attucks was in large part due to the influence of a branch of the Ku Klux Klan led by D.C. Stephenson , on the city's school board . Regardless, those who lived in an area where they could attend either Crispus Attucks High School or Shortridge High School were allowed to choose which school they wanted to attend; many of these students chose to attend Shortridge. In 1928, Shortridge High School moved from downtown Indianapolis to

4224-478: The combined invasion fleet from aboard his flagship Yamato . At 0530 June 4, a scout plane from Midway sighted the Kido Butai ; however, the scout only reported sighting "(t)wo carriers and battleships," and giving course and speed. Since US intelligence had reported the possibility that the Kido Butai would be operating in two separate task forces, that meant that Fletcher only knew the location of half of

4312-662: The editorship of Commander Robert M. Laske between 1968 and 1975, when a dearth of material forced him to search for contributors at meetings of the American Political Science Association and the Inter-University Seminar on the Armed Forces and Society. From that point forward, the journal had a wider range of submitted articles. The following persons have been editors-in-chief : This United States Navy article

4400-404: The entire Indianapolis Public Schools district was reorganized so that all high school students would choose which school they would attend. Several schools were closed in order to strengthen the four remaining high schools: Shortridge, Crispus Attucks, Washington , and Arsenal Tech . In addition to providing a typical high school curriculum, each high school now offers a concentrated program in

4488-433: The first months of World War II in the Pacific, Spruance commanded the four heavy cruisers and support ships of Cruiser Division Five from his flagship , the heavy cruiser USS  Northampton . His division was an element of the task force built around the aircraft carrier USS  Enterprise and commanded by Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. Early on, Halsey had led his task force on hit-and-run raids against

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4576-459: The first strike on Midway and were immobilized in the carrier hangars, while his combat air patrol cover planes were engaged with battling torpedo bombers from Hornet . Enterprise dive bombers critically damaged two Japanese carriers including Nagumo's flagship Akagi ; while the Yorktown air group, launched after Fletcher was confident that all Japanese carriers were accounted for, crippled

4664-524: The fleet carrier force, Admiral Halsey, was hospitalized with severe shingles ; Halsey immediately recommended Admiral Spruance to Nimitz as his replacement with Admiral Fletcher receiving overall command. Although Spruance was proven as a cruiser division commander, he had no experience handling carrier-air combat; Halsey reassured Nimitz, and he told Spruance and Fletcher to rely on their newly inherited staff, particularly Captain Miles Browning ,

4752-432: The halls. The next day, an ad hoc group of students presented the assistant principal with four demands. The response to the petition did not satisfy them. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra was scheduled to present a concert the next day in the school's historic auditorium, Caleb Mills Hall. Approximately twenty students rose and left as the orchestra played " The Star-Spangled Banner ". The protesters then congregated at

4840-496: The joint operations leading to the assault and capture of the important enemy bases, complete integration of Army and Navy units was accomplished under his outstanding leadership, enabling all the forces to perform their closely co-ordinated missions with outstanding success. At the end of the Second World War Congress created a limited number of five-star ranks for the Army and the Navy, designated General of

4928-536: The joint service colleges that each college should publish a lecture reprint series that could be distributed to officers, who for various reasons could not attend a war college course. In response to this suggestion and with further authorization from the Navy Department, Spruance initiated publication of a periodical. Initially entitled Information Service for Officers , it first appeared in October 1948 with

5016-501: The navy were well known, but himself much less. He did not discuss his private life, feelings, prejudices, hopes or fears, except with his family and his closest friends. He was modest and candid about himself. "When I look at myself objectively," he wrote in retirement, "I think that what success I may have achieved through life is largely due to the fact that I am a good judge of men. I am lazy, and I never have done things myself that I could get someone to do for me. I can thank heredity for

5104-650: The neighborhoods immediately surrounding the school led to a predominantly-black student body. During the 1950–1970 period, the racial demographics of the Shortridge district began to change rapidly. As an example, the Mapleton-Fall Creek neighborhood, a part of the Shortridge district, changed from 82% white to 20% white). The United States Department of Justice filed a suit in 1968 charging de jure segregation in Indianapolis. IPS responded with

5192-423: The next four years to increase enrollment, they were not effective. The 1966 elections saw the school board change, including the loss of Richard Lugar , a Shortridge High graduate and academic plan supporter, who ran for, and was elected as, mayor of the city of Indianapolis. By 1967, the new school board voted 5–2 to abolish the short-lived ‘Shortridge Plan’. As the 1960s progressed, so-called " white flight " in

5280-409: The next wave. In this state the Japanese carriers would be extremely vulnerable. Furthermore, Spruance ordered that the air squadrons fly directly to their targets before assembling every squadron into a proper formation, gambling that the attacks would leave the enemy carriers in disarray and delay the launching of their own counterstrike. Though this gamble paid off, Enterprise air squadrons would pay

5368-508: The picture of widely disparate forces, yet boldly seizing every opening. Raymond A. Spruance emerged from the battle one of the greatest admirals in American naval history". For his actions at the battle of Midway, Rear Admiral Spruance was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and cited as follows: "For exceptionally meritorious service ... as Task Force Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. During

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5456-723: The real debates and spanned three days, from September 25 to October 9, 1914. In a 1903 football game against Wabash College, Wabash College coach Tug Wilson substituted an African-American left tackle by the name of Samuel Gordon, and the Shortridge captain "made a scene", forfeiting the game. Shortridge students and faculty were involved in relief efforts for World War I . Faculty in charge included Flora Love, Rosa M. R. Mikels, Mary E. Sullivan, and Virginia Claybough. Their jobs were typing, filing, and clerical work. Under direction from Red Cross , both students and teachers also knitted socks, hats, and helmets. They also purchased War Bonds . The students and teachers also provided money for

5544-517: The remaining Japanese carriers were used solely as decoys in the Battle of Leyte Gulf a few months later due to the lack of aircraft and aircrews to fly them) Spruance has been criticized for not being aggressive enough in exploiting his success in the Philippine Sea. Buell quotes Spruance speaking with Morison: As a matter of tactics I think that going out after the Japanese and knocking their carriers out would have been much better and more satisfactory than waiting for them to attack us, but we were at

5632-471: The same time that Admiral Turner 's forces were attacking Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshalls, about 700 miles to the east. Spruance himself directed a task group of battleships, cruisers and destroyers that left the main body to go after Japanese ships that were fleeing Truk, sinking the light cruiser Katori and destroyer Maikaze . This was said to be the first time that a four-star admiral took part in

5720-421: The same time, however, the school began to lose students to other schools, notably the newly opened North Central High School on the city's far-north side. Due to the changing racial makeup of the neighborhoods that fed Shortridge, some parents on the school's Parent-Teacher Association supported redrawing the Shortridge district to find a more even racial balance. By 1964, some felt that the school had reached

5808-437: The same way twice. When you moved into Admiral Spruance's command, the printed instructions were up to date, and you did things in accordance with them. This gave rise to the description of Spruance as "an Admiral's admiral". Spruance directed Operation Hailstone against the Japanese naval base Truk in February 1944 in which twelve Japanese warships, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft were destroyed. This occurred at

5896-418: The school established a daily newspaper , The Shortridge Daily Echo . It was the first daily high school newspaper in the United States. It continued its daily status until the 1970s, when it was converted to a weekly publication. Kurt Vonnegut and Don Mellett are two notable alumni who served as editors of the Echo . The paper won many awards over the years . In 1981, its final year of its initial run,

5984-430: The school in the 1880s, soon won acclaim for introducing "craftwork" – leather, pottery, jewelry, and metalwork – to the curriculum, and later developed a line of pottery, "Selridge Pottery", designed by students. She remained at the school until her death in 1924. In 1876, Mary Alice Rann was the first African-American student to graduate from Shortridge High School. There was a push for either integration in schools or

6072-457: The start of a very important and large amphibious operation and we could not afford to gamble and place it in jeopardy. However, his actions were both praised and understood by the main persons ordering and directly involved in the battle. Admiral Ernest J. King , the Chief of Naval Operations , said to him "Spruance, you did a damn fine job there. No matter what other people tell you, your decision

6160-568: The third week of May 1942, U.S. naval intelligence units confirmed that the Japanese would—by early June— invade Midway Island . Capturing and occupying Midway was the brainchild-plan of commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet , Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto . With it he intended to significantly expand the Imperial Japanese Navy 's outer defense perimeter across the central Pacific; and, he believed, this very powerful stroke against Midway would so severely threaten Hawaii and Pearl Harbor that

6248-471: The war efforts and marched in parades. Laura Donnan even had a motto in her class that was, “A penny in France is worth two pennies in your pants.” Although minority students attended Shortridge from its opening, the majority of Shortridge High School students were white. This changed in 1927, when Indianapolis opened its first purposely-segregated all-black school, Crispus Attucks High School ; up until then,

6336-413: The war, Spruance preferred to use the heavy cruiser USS  Indianapolis , named for his hometown, as his flagship. He shifted his flag to the old battleship USS  New Mexico of the shore bombardment force after Indianapolis was struck by a kamikaze off Okinawa. When New Mexico was struck by two kamikaze on the night of 12 May 1945, a hasty search by Spruance's staff found the admiral manning

6424-548: Was aboard the battleship USS  Iowa , an 11,400-ton veteran of the Spanish–American War . In July 1907 he transferred to the battleship Minnesota and was aboard her during the historic around-the-world cruise of the Great White Fleet from 1907 to 1909. Spruance's seagoing career included command of the destroyers Bainbridge from March 1913 to May 1914, Osborne , three other destroyers, and

6512-435: Was added to make Shortridge a middle school. In 2009, a high school magnet program for grades 9 to 12 that was focused on law and public policy was added. The middle school grades were later dropped. In 2015, the law and public policy magnet program was moved to Arsenal Technical High School and the International Baccalaureate (IB) program was moved from Gambold Preparatory High School to Shortridge High School. In 2018,

6600-410: Was also innovative in many ways, including the hiring of female teachers and the admission of African-American students. Sarah D. Allen Oren Haynes , who taught at the high school from 1869 to 1873, later became the first female state librarian of Indiana and the first female professor at Purdue University . By 1878, Shortridge High School served 502 students. Roda Selleck , who began teaching art at

6688-600: Was appointed as Deputy Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. On 5 August 1943 Spruance was placed in command of the Central Pacific Force, which, on April 29, 1944, was redesignated as the Fifth Fleet . At that time, Admiral Nimitz instituted a unique arrangement in which the command of the vessels which made up the "Big Blue Fleet" alternated between Admiral William Halsey Jr., at which time it

6776-463: Was buried with full military honors at Golden Gate National Cemetery near San Francisco. His wife, Margaret Dean (1888–1985), is buried alongside him, as are Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz , his longtime friend Admiral Richmond K. Turner , and Admiral Charles A. Lockwood , an arrangement made by all of them while living. He was the grandfather of theatre director Anne Bogart . Spruance was an active man who thought nothing of walking eight or 10 miles

6864-468: Was charged with inciting a riot. Marion County Prosecutor Noble Pearcy attempted to have the minor students declared "incorrigible" in an attempt to stop school unrest. This caused mixed reactions within the community, leading some of the city's religious leaders to side with the students. While the charges wound their way through the courts, a "freedom school" was set up to help the suspended students keep up with their academic work. The case eventually reached

6952-408: Was correct." Spruance's fast carrier commander, Marc Mitscher , told his chief of staff Arleigh Burke : You and I have been in many battles, and we know there are always some mistakes. This time we were right because the enemy did what we expected him to do. Admiral Spruance could have been right. He's one of the finest officers I know of. It was his job to protect the landing force.... For most of

7040-400: Was created in 1887 by Laura Donnan. High school juniors and seniors would meet at 2:30 every Friday afternoon. The senate was created in order to teach students about public speaking and politics. Based on the annual Shortridge yearbook of 1918, the talking points included: daylight saving time , workmen's compensation , women's suffrage , amendments to abolish jury trials , eight-hour law,

7128-600: Was identified as the Third Fleet and Task Force 38, and Admiral Spruance, when it became the Fifth Fleet and Task Force 58. When not in command of the fleet the admirals and their staffs were based at Pearl Harbor and planned future operations. The two admirals were a contrast in styles. Halsey was aggressive and a risk taker. Spruance was calculating and cautious. Notwithstanding their different personalities, Spruance and Halsey were close friends. In fact, Spruance had

7216-464: Was in Circle Hall on the northwest quadrant of Monument Circle. The third location (1872-1885) was the former Baptist Female Seminary at Michigan and Pennsylvania Streets. This building was deemed unsafe and torn down to make way for a fourth building (1885-1928) on the same site. (Classes met in area churches while the new building was under construction.) Due to population shifts in Indianapolis in

7304-569: Was nicknamed "electric brain" for his calmness even in moments of supreme crisis, a reputation enhanced by his successful tactics. He emerged from the war as one of the greater admirals in American history. After the war, Spruance was appointed President of the Naval War College , and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines. Spruance was born in Baltimore , Maryland , on July 3, 1886, to Alexander and Annie Hiss Spruance. He

7392-456: Was not initially free. Author Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Shortridge class of 1940, said that Shortridge was: "... my dream of an America with great public schools. I thought we should be the envy of the world with our public schools. And I went to such a public school. So I knew that such a school was possible. Shortridge High School in Indianapolis produced not only me, but the head writer on the I LOVE LUCY show ( Madelyn Pugh ). And, my God, we had

7480-652: Was ordered to the headquarters, Commander Naval Force in Europe. He served as Assistant Chief of Staff under Vice Admiral Philip Andrews during the period of tensions between Greece and Turkey and was decorated with the Gold Cross of the Order of the Savior by the Government of Greece for his service. Spruance ran a quiet bridge, without chit-chat; he demanded that orders be given concisely and clearly. In one incident

7568-489: Was patched-repaired in "rush" time purposefully to join the Midway operation. The U.S. Navy intercept force centered on the three carriers Enterprise , Hornet , and Yorktown, and their air-attack squadrons. It faced a Japanese invasion fleet organized into two groups: the air-attack task force of four carriers with support ships under command of Admiral Chūichi Nagumo , and the surface and occupation forces under Admiral Nobutake Kondō and others. Admiral Yamamoto commanded

7656-523: Was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana . Spruance attended Indianapolis public schools and graduated from Shortridge High School . From there, he went on to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1907 early on September 12, 1906, and received further, hands-on education in electrical engineering a few years later. His Academy classmates included Patrick N. L. Bellinger , Willis W. Bradley , George M. Courts , Henry K. Hewitt , Jonas H. Ingram , and Claud A. Jones . Spruance's first duty assignment

7744-596: Was to lead to his eventual capitulation... He was appointed as Ambassador to the Philippines by President Harry S. Truman , and served there from 1952 to 1955. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.), honoris causa degree from Central Philippine University in 1955, an institution of higher learning founded by the American Baptist missionary, William Orison Valentine in 1905. Spruance died in Pebble Beach, California , on December 13, 1969, and

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