Arthur W. Radford
| Arthur W. Radford | |
|---|---|
Arthur W. Radford as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
|
|
| Birth name | Arthur William Radford |
| Born | 27 February 1896 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 17 August 1973 (aged 77) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Buried at | Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1916–1957 |
| Rank |
 Admiral
|
| Commands held |
VF-1B Naval Air Station Seattle Aviation Training Division Carrier Division Eleven Second Task Fleet Vice Chief of Naval Operations Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| Battles/wars |
World War I
|
| Awards |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal (4) Legion of Merit (2) Order of the Bath |
| Signature |  |
World War I
World War II
Arthur William Radford (27 February 1896 – 17 August 1973) was a United States Navy admiral and naval aviator. In over 40 years of military service, Radford held a variety of positions including Vice Chief of Naval Operations, commander of the United States Pacific Fleet and later the second Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
With an interest in ships and aircraft from a young age, Radford saw his first sea duty aboard the battleship USS South Carolina during World War I. In the inter-war period he earned his pilot wings and rose through the ranks in duties aboard ships and in the Bureau of Aeronautics. After the U.S. entered World War II, he was the architect of the development and expansion of the Navy's aviator training programs in the first years of the war. In its final years he commanded carrier task forces through several major campaigns of the Pacific War.
Noted as a strong-willed and aggressive leader, Radford was a central figure in the post-war debates on U.S. military policy, and was a staunch proponent of naval aviation. As commander of the Pacific Fleet, he defended the Navy's interests in an era of shrinking defense budgets, and was a central figure in the "Revolt of the Admirals," a contentious public fight over policy. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he continued to advocate for aggressive foreign policy and a strong nuclear deterrent in support of the "New Look" policy of President Dwight Eisenhower.
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Wikipedia