William Halsey

Halsey was at sea commanding Task Force 8 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. His carrier, USS Enterprise, was returning from delivering aircraft to Wake Island. The attack galvanized Halsey's aggressive approach to the Pacific War.

Halsey commanded the naval task force that transported Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle's B-25 bombers to within striking distance of Japan. The raid on Tokyo boosted American morale and forced Japan to reconsider its defensive perimeter.

Halsey commanded the Third Fleet during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He pursued the Japanese Northern Force, leaving the invasion fleet vulnerable. His decision to chase the decoy force was criticized, but the battle resulted in the destruction of Japanese naval power.

Halsey's Third Fleet sailed into Typhoon Cobra in the Philippine Sea. Three destroyers capsized and sank, with over 800 sailors lost. Halsey was found guilty of errors of judgment in a court of inquiry but was not punished.

Halsey's Third Fleet was present in Tokyo Bay for the formal surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945. He had advocated for a more aggressive blockade and bombing campaign to force Japan's surrender earlier.