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Elmo ZumwaltAmerican submariner, admiral
Date of Birth: 29.11.1920
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Jr. (1920-2000)
- Naval Career
- Vietnam War
- Chief of Naval Operations
- Later Career and Legacy
Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Jr. (1920-2000)
Early Life and EducationElmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr. was born in San Francisco, California, on November 29, 1920. His parents, Dr. Elmo Russell Zumwalt and Frances Zumwalt, were country doctors originally from Illinois and Ohio, respectively. Zumwalt attended Union High School in Tulare, California, where he was class valedictorian. He also attended Rutherford Preparatory School in Long Beach.
Naval Career
Zumwalt entered the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1939. As a midshipman, he excelled academically and held various leadership positions. He graduated with honors in 1942 and was commissioned as an ensign.
During World War II, Zumwalt served on the destroyer USS Phelps (DD-360) and destroyer escort USS Robin (DE-416). He earned a Bronze Star with Combat V for his heroism as the battle information center analyst during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.
After the war, Zumwalt continued his naval service. He commanded several ships, including the destroyer escort USS Tills (DE-748) and the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64). In 1953, he became the Navy's liaison officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Vietnam War
In 1968, Zumwalt was appointed commander of the U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam, and senior naval adviser to General Creighton Abrams, the overall commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam. Zumwalt was responsible for the U.S. Navy's involvement in the war, including the use of coastal patrol boats to combat the Viet Cong.
Chief of Naval Operations
In 1970, President Richard Nixon nominated Zumwalt to be the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). As CNO, Zumwalt implemented a series of reforms to address discrimination and improve the quality of life for service members. He relaxed grooming standards, opened enlisted clubs to women, and established the High-Low procurement plan to acquire a mix of modern and inexpensive ships.
Later Career and Legacy
Zumwalt retired from the Navy in 1974. In 1976, he ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Virginia. He later served as president of the American Medical Building Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Zumwalt was deeply affected by the death of his son, Elmo Russell "Rusty" Zumwalt III, from cancer in 1988. He believed that his son's illness was related to exposure to Agent Orange, a herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. Zumwalt became an advocate for veterans who had been exposed to Agent Orange and worked tirelessly to establish the National Bone Marrow Donor Program.
Admiral Zumwalt died on January 2, 2000, from mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He was remembered as a visionary leader who made significant contributions to the U.S. Navy and the well-being of its service members. The first of the U.S. Navy's next-generation destroyer class, the DDG-1000, was named USS Zumwalt in his honor.
