Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance

by Thomas B. Buell and Thomas B Buell USN

Book Overview

Regarded as the standard biography of World War II naval hero Adm. Raymond A. Spruance, this work is now available in trade paperback for the first time. Spruance, victor of the battles of Midway and the Philippine Sea and commander of the Fifth Fleet in the invasions of the Gilberts, the Marshalls, the Marianas, and Okinawa, is one of the towering figures in American naval history. Yet his reserved, cerebral personality did not make "good copy" for...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591140854
• ISBN13: 9781591140856
• Release Date: November 2009
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
• Length: 560 Pages
• Weight: 1.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 5.7" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

The Quiet Warrior

Most enjoyable biography I've ever read. Clear, fair, and historically detailed. It closed a multitude of gaps in my knowledge. Full disclosure: I knew and crossed swords with the author as lieutenant commander students at the Naval War College. Had I not so grossly underestimated his scholarly aptitude, I would have keep my counsel at school and also read his book many years ago.

Great Book!

Wonderful look at Raymond Spruance. I think a great book for anyone interested in WWII.

Ray Spruance found to be a great human

I am not quiet half way though the first reading of this great novel about the late great Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance. I have found myself unable to put it down in my leisure moments even to the point of missing "must see TV." I've found that I share a great many similarities with the Admiral. Thomas Buell does and outstanding job of bringing this larger than life man down to an understandable, intimate, personal, human level. His convictions, ambitions, fears, personal failures are all laid bare by the authors pen. Indeed I firmly believe that there is a little bit of Ray Spruance in all of us.

The Quiet Warrior:A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance

Buell is to be praised for this significant contribution the history of WWII. He is able to compare and contrast Spruance against the better know Halsey in a fashion that gives the reader a perception of how the men of the fifth and third fleet (one in the same) viewed Spruance. He was brilliant, but conservative. Regarded as timid at Midway and at the "Marianas Turkey Shoot" by the aviation community, this battleship admiral was thrown into the uncomfortable position of commanding of a carrier fleet and he acquitted himself admirably. Regarded by Admiral King as the only officer smarter then he, Spruance was widely recognized for his meticulous planning. This carried over into life after the Navy when he served as ambassador to the Phillipines. By itself this is a wonderful biography. Taken with Buell's biography of King, Potter's work on Nimitz, the books "Magnificant Mitcher", "Halsey" and "The Reluctant Admiral" one comes away in awe of the complexities Spruance dealt with so often and so well.

A neglected, forgotten naval hero.

I was perplexed at the lack of available information on Admiral Spruance, considering the astonishing list of accomplishments: lieutenant during Teddy Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet" world tour, commanded Halsey's cruiser escorts for Jimmy Doolittle's raid on Tokyo, tactical (and decisive) command during the Battle of Midway, Nimitz's Shief of Staff, Commander of the US Fifth Fleet (the largest, most powerful battle fleet in the history of the world) including Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam and Okinawa, President of the Naval War College and Ambassador to the Phillippines. Buell presents a good account of his life and career without delving into the psychological aspect (including a somewhat troubled relationship with his son, a WWII submarine commander). I believe this to be an important work for any serious amateur historian. Nimitz and Halsey may receive more name recognition, but Admiral Spruance's tactical command at Midway did more to turn the tide of the Pacific War than any other single commander. While many books have been written concerning Midway, this is the only book I have found that tells the story from Spruance's point of view.