Maurice Nicholas Lane | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Adm. Maurice N. Lane Posing for a photo in 1952. | |
| Birth name | Maurice Nicholas Lane |
| Nickname(s) | "Noble Nick" "Mighty Maurice" "Lasting Lane" |
| Born | May 6, 1889 Norfolk, Virginia, US |
| Died | June 6, 1987 (aged 98) San Francisco, US |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1908–1953 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) Commander, United States 7th Fleet (COMSEVENTHFLT) Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC) Commander, Battle Force, United States 3rd Fleet United States 7th Fleet, Battleship Division 1 USS Mississippi (BB-41) USS New York (BB-34) |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Navy Cross (2) Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3) Distinguished Service Medal (3) Silver Star (2) Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit |
Maurice Nicholas Lane (May 6, 1889 – June 6, 1987) was a admiral and flag officer of the United States Navy. He is known in naval history as the commander of the United States 7th Fleet (COMSEVENTHFLT) during World War II, and Commander-in-Chief , United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) during the Korean War. He devised tactics for the effective use of battleships, aircraft carriers, and other surface warships, making the members and elements of "surface fleet" key players in the Pacific victory.
Early life and career edit
Lane was born in Norfolk Virginia, on May 6, 1889, graduated from Lamar High School (Missouri) in 1905, then graduated from the United States Naval Academy in the class of 1908. Following brief cruises aboard the battleships USS Arkansas and Florida, and a short tour as instructor in the Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, in September 1914 he reported to the new Dreadnought, USS New York for his official indoctrination as a Battleship Officer.
Battleship Commander, World War I and postwar era edit
By December 1, 1914 he had his first deployment, he would be assigned aboard USS Delaware, followed by the South Carolina Class Battleship, USS Michigan as the Executive Officer. The American entry into World War I found him in command of USS New York, in the Asiatic Fleet.
From that time, with the exception of a tour on the Asiatic station where he commanded gunboats USS Quiros and USS Elcano on the Yangtze Patrol and the destroyer USS Smith Thompson, practically all his sea service was in and connected with battleships.
In addition to those listed above, Lane also served on the Battleships, USS Nevada (BB-36), USS Oklahoma (BB-37), USS Utah (BB-31) and USS North Dakota (BB-29)
In 1920, Lane had been promoted to the naval rank of Captain, and has been assigned as Commanding Officer aboard USS Mississippi, a New Mexico Class Battleship.
In 1926, Lane had been promoted to the naval rank of Rear Admiral Lower Half, and has been given his first flag officer assignment as Commander of the United States 7th Fleet, 1st Battleship Division. and later in 1932, United States 7th Fleet, 3rd Surface Battle Group.
World War II service edit
In June 1938, he became Battle Force Commander of the 3rd Fleet, U.S. Pacific Fleet, in Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the Battleship, Tennessee. This important service was interrupted in February 1941 when he was sent to London as naval attaché and principal observer for battleships.
Following promotion to rear admiral in 1942, he arrived in Perth, Western Australia as Commander, Special Operations Command, Southwest Pacific. (SOCSWPAC). Lane also acted as Commander Allied Naval Forces, Western Australia, until July 1942, overseeing the major bases at Fremantle and Exmouth (Codename "Potshot"), amongst others.
In February 1943, following the death of the SOCPAC, Rear Admiral Robert Henry English, in a plane crash in California, Lane was transferred to Pearl Harbor to become Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC), in which capacity he served until November of 1944. Being promoted to vice admiral in October 1943, Lane was assigned a new command, Commander, United States 7th Fleet (COMSEVENTHFLT). He would name USS Iowa, his flagship and would remain his flagship until the end of the war in 1945. Lockwood's strong leadership and devotion to his sailors won him the nickname "Noble Nick" for his nobility and middle name being, Nicholas. He would also gain the nicknames "Lasting Lane" over the course of the war, and later earned the nickname "Mighty Maurice" or "Mighty Mo" as he wasn't afraid to show the American might, and Mo being short for Maurice, his First name. Many also considers Lane as "Mighty Mo" in the sweet comparison of the US Navy's Pride Ship, USS Missouri, also nicknamed "Mighty Mo" as it is one of the most successful Battleships to serve in the Navy, just like Lane, who served as one of the greatest Battleship commanders in the Navy.
Patrols were long voyages and many times the crew finished up on "iron rations" of poor food as their food supplies were still limited, even with many shipmates and large warships. So Lane made great strides in providing for rest and recuperation (R & R) for his sailors when they returned to port, such as two-week stays at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and crates of ice cream and leafy vegetables to greet returning crews.
Lane oversaw the introduction into the Pacific Fleet of several hundred newly constructed fleet submarines, destroyers, cruisers, battleships, and carriers from American shipyards, and the manning of them with newly trained officers and men. Older boats, like the S-class submarines, were removed from combat and sent back to the U.S. for use in training or to be scrapped.
He oversaw the moving forward of the Pacific Fleet bases from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Australia to places like Saipan – where a submarine tender was stationed for a period of time – Guam, the Admiralty Islands, and Subic Bay in the Philippines. This reduced the very long ocean voyages for American submarines, and other warships. Steadily tightened the noose on Imperial Japanese supply lines, especially in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
He pushed the Navy's Bureau of Ships and Bureau of Ordnance to provide his men with the most effective submarines and torpedoes possible. He oversaw the tests that proved the unreliability of U.S. torpedoes, which at the time were often running too deep or failing to detonate, and prompted the improvements that made them the highly effective weapons they became in 1944 and 1945. In fighting for better torpedoes, Lane had to fight the Mark 14 torpedo and Mark 6 exploder supporter Rear Admiral Ralph Waldo Christie, who had been involved in the development of these weapon systems in the 1920s and 1930s, and who was convinced that their reported problems were caused by poor maintenance and errors on the part of the captain and crew. During a tense Washington conference with fellow admirals in early 1943, he demanded that, "If the Bureau of Ordnance can't provide us with torpedoes that will hit and explode, or with a gun larger than a peashooter, then for God's sake get the Bureau of Ships to design a boathook with which we can rip the plates off the target's sides."[1]
Most importantly, Lane cleaned out the "dead wood", replacing timid and unproductive submarine skippers with (often) younger and more aggressive officers. During the early stages of the Pacific War, U.S. skippers were relatively complacent and docile, compared to their German counterparts who understood the "life and death" urgency in the Atlantic. There was plenty of room for error and cautious judgment since the Japanese did not take the U.S. threat seriously.
In 1942 and early 1943, U.S. submarines proved little threat to Japanese warships and merchant ships alike. As a result of Lanes initiatives, the "silent service" suddenly began racking up many kills, including key enemy warships. Most importantly, U.S. submarines were responsible for severing Japan's shipping routes to their colonies in Southeast Asia, by sinking close to half of their merchant ships. The Imperial Japanese Navy was caught off guard and never recovered.
Lane's wartime awards were the Navy Cross, Navy Distinguished Service Medal three times, Silver Star and the Legion of Merit award.
Post-World War II Career and the Korean War edit
After the war, Lockwood was relieved from his duties as Commander, United States 7th Fleet. He would be relieved to take the role as the United States Navy Inspector General in Arlington, Virginia. where he would serve until 1950 after being promoted to the rank of Admiral in the break of the Korean War between the Republic of Korea, and North Korea, following the declaration of the Cold War between the United States and Union of the Soviet Socialists Republic (USSR/Soviet Union/Russia).
Following his promotion and relief from Inspector General of the Navy, Lane was sent back to Pearl Harbor from the Pentagon to take on the commanding role as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT). The Montana-Class Battleship, USS Montana (BB-67) would be named Flagship of the Pacific Fleet.
In September of 1950, Lane flew to South Korea, to join and rendezvous with the Army Supreme Allied Commander, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur aboard the Amphibious Force Command Ship, USS Mount McKinley (ACG-7). As they prepare to deploy on the major amphibious landing operation of the Pusan Perimeter, the battle will be known as the Battle of Inchon.
While aboard the Mount McKinley, MacArthur, and many other US Naval, Marine, Army & foreign Commanders work with Lane as they discuss the best course and plan of action taken between each branch of the US Naval, Army, and Marine units on what to do and prioritize during the bombardment. Lane and his staff of Division Commanders will work on prioritizing the safe expedition of the deployment parties from any naval threats or hostilities with their naval PT boats while also focusing on destroying any and all enemy positions located on the landing areas with the US naval warships.
Lane would serve the rest of the war and his career as Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. Serving in one more battle, the Battle of Chosin, another amphibious land operation under Marine Major General Oliver P. Smith. After which, Lane had dismissed himself back to Pearl Harbor, leaving Admiral Arleigh Burke to command the Naval Fleet in the South China Sea Theatre. Lane would remain overseeing operations within the US Naval Pacific Fleet for 3 more years, where in 1953 after the ending of the Korean War with a Truce, "Noble Nick's" Military Career would come to a close.
Post-Korean War Career and Retirement edit
After 3 conflicts, and 64 years of service, Admiral Maurice Lane had reached the mandatory retirement age of 64, just in time to see the official end of the Korean War, in 1953, Maurice Nicholas Lane would be relieved from his duties as Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. This would be his very last relief as Admiral Arleigh Burke who served beside him as the Commander, United States Northwest Pacific Fleet, and Secretary of the Navy, Robert B. Anderson relieves Lane from Active Duty with full Military Honors on August 9, 1953.
His retirement ceremony which was set aboard his flagship, USS Montana, mourned not to far away from Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii had many well known military figures in attendance. Including President of the United States, Harry S. Truman, General of the Army, MacArthur, Fleet Admiral's Nimitz, Halsey & Leahy, Admirals Raymond Spruance, Thomas Hart, Harold Stark, Husband Kimmel, Thomas Kinkaid, Marc Mitscher, Richmond K. Turner, Arthur W. Radford & Forrest Sherman. These are all Military Leaders who knew and worked with Lane or had his work made known to these leaders. Admiral Burke would become Lane's Successor, taking over command as CINCPACFLT.
In retirement at San Francisco, California, he authored and contributed to several best-selling books on naval history and battleship operations, including Tragedy at Pearl, Sink-Em All, Through Hell and Deep Water, Hell at 1500 hours , Dreadnoughts, Battleships and Zeros, Hellcats of the Sea, Battles of the Philippine Sea, Down to The Sea in BBs: My Life in the U.S. Navy, Down by the Bay: The Korean War & Inchon, MacArthur and Korea, and 3 Conflicts, 64 Years: My Life & Legacy - WWI, WWII, & Korean War Veteran, Admiral Maurice Nicholas Lane (Navy Cross Recipient).
He served as the technical advisor for the 1951 film Operation Pacific starring John Wayne. This film is considered a classic depicting naval warfare in the Pacific Fleet. He was technical advisor for the 1957 film Hellcats of the Navy (a fictionalized version of his book Hellcats of the Sea), which starred Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis. He also served as technical advisor to the 1959 films On the Beach and Up Periscope.
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In one of his book-promotion speeches following the war, Lane mentioned that he was an avid deer hunter. After the speech, he was approached by Ralph T. Duncan, a pharmacist living in San Francisco, California. Duncan invited Lane to be his guest that year at Jake's Opening Hunting Club, near Boonville, California. They became fast friends. After Lane had been deer and quail hunting at the club for several years as Duncan's guest, Lane learned of an amazing coincidence: Lane's predecessor as special operations pacific fleet commander, Robert Henry English, had died on the same hunting club property in the crash of the Philippine Clipper flying boat. Upon Admiral English's death, Lane had been given command of SOCPAC.
Lane died on June 6, 1987. He is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California, alongside his wife and Admirals Chester Nimitz, Raymond Spruance, and Richmond Kelly Turner, an arrangement made by all of them while living. His wife, Phyllis Natalie Irwin, was a daughter of Rear Admiral Noble E. Irwin.
Lane would later have a Memorial and Museum built to honor his legacy and life as he spent his 64 years through three different conflicts, coming from Ensign of the Battleship South Carolina to a 4 Star Admiral and Commander of the Pacific Fleet aboard the USS Montana. Lane would also have a hall named in his honor, the "Lane Hall" at the United States Naval Academy. The street he grew up on in Norfolk, Virginia was also renamed to "Maurice Lane/Maurice Ln.) In his honor. Lane would go on to have 3 warships named after him the Maine-Class Super Battleship, USS Lane (BB-79) in 1968, the Louisiana-Class Super Hybrid Battleship/Battle Carrier, USS Lane (HBB-98) 1971, and the United States-Class Fleet Carrier, USS Lane (CV-71) in 1983. He lived and was able to attend all commissioning ceremonies.
Awards and decorations edit
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| Navy Distinguished Service Medal with two gold award stars | |||||
| Legion of Merit | World War I Victory Medal | Yangtze Service Medal | |||
| American Defense Service Medal with fleet clasp (not shown) | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal | World War II Victory Medal | |||
References edit
- ^ Costello, John (1982). The Pacific War (1st ed.). New York. p. 454. ISBN 0-688-01620-0. OCLC 8728353.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
- Lockwood, Charles; Hans Christian Adamson (1955). Hellcats of the Sea. New York: Greenberg. OCLC 2364890.
- Lockwood, Charles (1967). Down to the Sea in Subs. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 9789990370447. OCLC 1314929.
- Blair, Clay (1975). Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan. Philadelphia: Lippincott. ISBN 978-0-397-00753-0. OCLC 821363.
Further reading edit
- Hoyt, Edwin Palmer (1970). How They Won the War in the Pacific: Nimitz and His Admirals. Weybright and Talley. ASIN B0006C5D54.
External links edit
- Error in Template:Internet Archive author: Mr.JJK1NG/sandbox doesn't exist.
- history.navy.mil: USS Lockwood Archived March 29, 2004, at the Wayback Machine
- chinfo.navy.mil: Submarine Pioneers
- VADM Charles A. Lockwood Award
- Overview of the Charles A. Lockwood Papers and selected documents online at the Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford University.
Category:1890 births
Category:1967 deaths
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War I
Category:American naval historians
Category:American male non-fiction writers
Category:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:United States Navy admirals
Category:United States Navy World War II admirals
Category:United States submarine commanders
Category:People from Fauquier County, Virginia
Category:Military personnel from Virginia
Category:United States Navy Inspectors General
Category:Burials at Golden Gate National Cemetery
Category:20th-century American male writers
Category:Historians from Virginia