Reminiscences of Rear Adm. Ernest M. Eller, USN (Ret.), vol. 1

In the first of three volumes by a former Director of Naval History, Admiral Eller discusses his boyhood, midshipman years leading to graduation from the Naval Academy in 1925, duty in the battleships USS Utah (BB-31) and USS Texas (BB-35), and the submarine USS S-33 (SS-138). In the 1930s, he served two tours on the faculty of the Naval Academy, where he made the study of leadership a project. A characteristic of this volume is the admiral’s ability to place events in the narrative into the broader context of history. For instance, in his discussion of duty with the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, he provides detailed descriptions of various places he visited while on leave in the Far East. In telling of his Utah service, he discusses the ship’s role in enhancing fleet antiaircraft gunnery as World War II approached. The focus of nearly all of this second volume of Admiral Eller’s oral history is World War II. He began with a tour of duty as an observer with the Royal Navy, including service on board the battlecruiser HMS Hood and battleship HMS Prince of Wales before they fought the German battleship Bismarck. When hostilities began for the United States he was gunnery officer of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3) and was on board when she was torpedoed. In the spring of 1942 he reported to the Pacific Fleet staff of Admiral Chester and served there throughout much of the rest of the war, working mostly in the gunnery section. He was both eyewitness and participant in a great deal of the planning and execution of the South Pacific and Central Pacific campaigns. Besides operating with Admiral Nimitz in Hawaii he made several trips to the forward area to see battle conditions firsthand. At war’s end he commanded the attack transport USS Clay (APA-39). In the postwar period he had public information duty in San Francisco and then in the Navy Department in Washington. The concluding portion of Admiral Eller’s memoir provides convincing evidence of the versatility that is called for in a Navy unrestricted line officer. Among other things, Eller’s skills included use of oral and written communication on behalf of the service, diplomatic and strategic ability in dealing with overseas nations, and seamanship and tactical ability on board ship. What also comes through repeatedly is Eller’s proactive nature in getting things going-ranging from trips throughout the Middle East to kick-starting many worthwhile projects concerned with naval history. Perhaps Admiral Eller is best remembered today for his longtime leadership and stewardship as Director of Naval History and Curator in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations, a role he fulfilled from 1956 to 1970. ＂As the head of the Naval History Division, he was clearly energetic,＂ observes Paul Stillwell in his preface to this final volume. Admiral Eller ＂not only served as honcho for a wide variety of projects, but also he raised funds and performed hands-on work in many cases of gathering materials, editing manuscripts, and providing answers to the many questions that came to his office. The Navy Museum in the Washington Navy Yard stands as a tangible legacy of Eller’s stewardship.＂