Jesse B. Oldendorf

Jesse B. Oldendorf
Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf
Nickname(s)	Oley
Born	(1887-02-16)16 February 1887 Riverside, California
Died	27 April 1974(1974-04-27) (aged 87) Portsmouth, Virginia
Buried at	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1909–1948
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Western Sea Frontier San Diego Naval Base 11th Naval District Battleship Squadron 1 Cruiser Division 4 USS Houston USS Decatur
Battles/wars	Mexican Revolution World War I Battle of the Atlantic World War II Battle of the Atlantic Battle of the Caribbean Battle of Marshall Islands Battle of the Palau Islands Battle of the Marianas Islands Battle of Leyte Gulf Battle of Lingayen Gulf Battle of Okinawa Occupation of Japan
Awards	Navy Cross (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (3) Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Purple Heart (2)

Jesse Barrett "Oley" Oldendorf (16 February 1887 – 27 April 1974) was an admiral in the United States Navy, famous for defeating a Japanese force in the Battle of Leyte Gulf during World War II. He also served as commander of the American naval forces during the early phase of the Battle of the Caribbean. In early 1942, a secret group of senior Navy officers empaneled by President Franklin D. Roosevelt assessed him as one of the 40 most competent of the 120 flag officers in the Navy.

Jesse Barrett Oldendorf was born in Riverside, California on 16 February 1887. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1909, standing 141st in a class of 174, and was commissioned in 1911. Oldendorf served aboard the armored cruiser USS California, the torpedo boat destroyer USS Preble, the cruiser USS Denver, the destroyer USS Whipple and the armored cruiser California again, although she had been renamed San Diego. He also served on the Panama Canal hydrographic survey ship USS Hannibal.

During World War I, Oldendorf spent a few months on recruiting duty in Philadelphia. From June to August 1917 he commanded the naval armed guard on the USAT Saratoga. The ship sank as a result of a collision in New York. He then became a gunnery officer aboard the troop transport USS President Lincoln, which was sunk by three torpedoes from the German submarine U-90 off Ireland on 31 May 1918. From August 1918 to March 1919 he was engineering officer of the USS Seattle. In July he was briefly executive officer of the USS Patricia.