View source for Marc Mitscher

{{Short description|United States Navy admiral (1887–1947)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| name          = Marc Andrew Mitscher
| birth_date    = January 26, 1887
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1947|2|3|1887|1|26}}
| birth_place   = [[Hillsboro, Wisconsin]]  U.S
| death_place   = [[Norfolk, Virginia]]  U.S
| placeofburial = [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| placeofburial_label = Place of burial
| image         = Marc Mitscher.jpg
| caption       = Marc A. Mitscher, then a [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]] ({{circa|1944–45}})
| nickname      = "Pete"
| serviceyears  = 1910–1947
| rank          = [[File:US-O10 insignia.svg|35px]] [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]]
| servicenumber = 7591
| allegiance    = {{flag|United States|1912}}
| branch        = {{flag|United States Navy}}
| commands      = {{USS|Wright|AV-1|6}} <br /> {{USS|Hornet|CV-8|6}} <br /> Commander Air, Solomon Islands <br /> [[Fast Carrier Task Force]] <br /> [[United States Second Fleet|Eighth Fleet]] <br /> [[U.S. Atlantic Fleet|Atlantic Fleet]]
| unit          = 
| battles       = {{Tree list}}
* [[World War I]]
* [[World War II]]
** [[Doolittle Raid]]
** [[Battle of Midway]]
** [[Solomon Islands campaign]]
** [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]
** [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]]
** [[Battle of Iwo Jima]]
** [[Battle of Okinawa]]
{{Tree list/end}}
| awards        = {{plainlist|
* [[File:Navy Cross ribbon.svg|35 px]] [[Navy Cross]] (3)
* [[File:Navy Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|35 px]] [[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]] (3)
* [[File:Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|35 px]] [[Legion of Merit]]
}}
| relations     = 
| laterwork     = 
}}
'''Marc Andrew''' "'''Pete'''" '''Mitscher''' (January 26, 1887 – February 3, 1947) was a pioneer in naval aviation who became an [[Admiral (United States)|admiral]] in the [[United States Navy]], and served as commander of the [[Fast Carrier Task Force]] in the Pacific during   [[World War II]].

==Early life and career==
Mitscher was born in [[Hillsboro, Wisconsin]], on January 26, 1887, the son of [[Oscar A. Mitscher|Oscar]] and Myrta (Shear) Mitscher.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hillsborowi.com/images/mitscher%20marker.jpg |title=Archived copy |website=www.hillsborowi.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917084025/http://www.hillsborowi.com/images/mitscher%20marker.jpg |archive-date=17 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Mitscher's grandfather, Andreas Mitscher (1821–1905), was a German immigrant from [[Traben-Trarbach]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} His other grandfather, [[Thomas J. Shear]], was a member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]].{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} During the western land boom of 1889, when Marc was two years old, his family resettled in [[Oklahoma City]], [[Oklahoma]], where his father, a federal [[Indian agent]], later became that [[List of mayors of Oklahoma City|city's second mayor]].<ref>{{cite news |work=[[Tulsa World]] |last=Curtis |first=Gene |date=July 5, 2007 |url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/only-in-oklahoma-admiral-led-awe-inspiring-wwii-task-force/article_7b1fecfd-2bfa-5029-b386-349a5cc747d7.html |title=Only in Oklahoma: Admiral led awe-inspiring WWII task force |access-date=September 3, 2024 }}</ref> His uncle, [[Byron D. Shear]], would also become mayor.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Mitscher attended elementary and secondary schools in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/bios/mitscher.htm |title=Biographies in Naval History: Admiral Marc Andrew Mitscher, USNR |publisher=Naval History & Heritage Command |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916175734/http://www.history.navy.mil/bios/mitscher.htm |archive-date=2012-09-16 }}</ref> He received an appointment to the [[United States Naval Academy]] at [[Annapolis, Maryland]], in 1904 through [[Bird Segle McGuire]], then [[U.S. Representative]] from Oklahoma.<ref name=OHS>{{cite web |url=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/M/MI050.html |title=Mitscher, Marc Andrew (1887–1947) |publisher=Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103200209/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/M/MI050.html |archive-date=2012-11-03 }}</ref>

An indifferent student with a lackluster sense of military deportment, Mitscher's career at the naval academy did not portend the accomplishments he would achieve later in life. Nicknamed after Annapolis's first [[midshipman]] from Oklahoma, Peter Cassius Marcellus Cade, who had "bilged-out" in 1903, [[Upperclassman|upperclassmen]] compelled young Mitscher to recite the entire name as a hazing. Soon he was referred to as "Oklahoma Pete", with the nickname shortened to just "Pete" by the winter of his youngster (sophomore) year.<ref>Taylor p. 21</ref>

Having amassed 159 demerits and showing poorly in his class work, Mitscher was saddled with a forced resignation at the end of his [[sophomore]] year. At the insistence of his father, Mitscher re-applied and was granted reappointment, though he had to re-enter the academy as a first year [[Plebs#United States military academies|plebe]].<ref name=OHS/>

This time the stoic Mitscher worked straight through, and on June 3, 1910, he graduated 113th out of a class of 131.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/luckybag1910unse |title=Lucky Bag |date=1910 |publisher=First Class, United States Naval Academy |others=Nimitz Library U. S. Naval Academy}}</ref> Following graduation he served two years at sea aboard {{USS|Colorado|ACR-7|6}}, and was commissioned [[United States Navy officer rank insignia|ensign]] on March 7, 1912. In August 1913, he served aboard {{USS|California|ACR-6|6}} on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]]. During that time Mexico was experiencing a political disturbance, and ''California'' was sent to protect U.S. interests and citizens.

=== Naval aviation ===
[[File:Lt. j.g. Marc Andrew Mitscher in a Curtiss A-type seaplane at NAS Pensacola, Florida (USA), circa in 1916 (80-G-433310).jpg|thumb|250px|Naval aviator Marc A. Mitscher, circa 1916. Mitscher was among the first [[Naval aviation|naval aviator]]s.<ref name="Taylor p. 48">Taylor p. 48</ref>]]
Mitscher took an early interest in aviation, requesting a transfer to aeronautics while aboard ''Colorado'' in his last year as a midshipman, but his request was not granted.  After graduating he continued to make requests for transfer to aviation while serving on the [[destroyer]]s {{USS|Whipple|DD-15|6}} and {{USS|Stewart|DD-13|6}}. Mitscher was in charge of the engine room on USS ''Stewart'' when orders to transfer to the [[Naval Air Station Pensacola|Naval Aeronautic Station]] in [[Pensacola]], [[Florida]], came in.<ref>Taylor pp. 33–34</ref>

Mitscher was assigned to the [[armored cruiser]] {{USS|North Carolina|ACR-12|6}}, which was being used to experiment as a launching platform for [[fixed-wing aircraft|aircraft]]. The ship had been fitted with a [[Aircraft catapult|catapult]] over her [[Poop deck|fantail]]. Mitscher trained as a pilot, earning his wings and the designation [[Naval aviation|Naval Aviator]]. Mitscher was one of the first naval aviators, receiving No.&nbsp;33 on June 2, 1916. Almost a year later, on April 6, 1917, he reported to the renamed armored cruiser {{USS|West Virginia|ACR-5|6}} for duty in connection with aircraft catapult experiments.<ref name="Taylor p. 48"/> During [[World War I]], the Navy established [[Naval Air Station]] Montauk in August, 1917, commanded by LT Marc Mitscher. Reconnaissance [[dirigibles]], an airplane, troops and [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]] personnel were stationed at Montauk L.I. New York.

At this early date the Navy was interested in using aircraft for scouting purposes and as spotters for direction of their gunnery. [[Lieutenant]] Mitscher was placed in command of [[Dinner Key, Miami, Florida|NAS Dinner Key]] in [[Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida|Coconut Grove, Florida]].<ref name="Taylor p. 48"/> Dinner Key was the second largest naval air facility in the U.S. and was used to train [[seaplane]] pilots for the [[Naval Reserve Flying Corps]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Darden |first=Colgate W. Jr. |year=1984 |title=Naval Aviation in World War I |journal=Proceedings |volume=110 |issue=11 |pages=163–166 |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute]] }}</ref> On July 18, 1918, he was promoted to [[Lieutenant commander (United States)|lieutenant commander]]. In February 1919, he transferred from NAS Dinner Key to the Aviation Section in the Office of the [[Chief of Naval Operations]], before reporting to Seaplane Division 1.

==Interwar assignments (1919–1939)==
=== Transatlantic crossing ===
[[File:Crew of the NC-1.jpg|thumb|Crew of the N.C-1 from left to right: Lieutenant-Commander [[Patrick N. L. Bellinger|P. N. L. Bellinger]], commander; Lieut.-Commander M. A. Mitscher, pilot; Lieut. J. T. Barin, pilot; Lieut (j.g.) Harry Sodenwater, radio operator; Chief Machinist's Mate, C. I. Kessler, engineer; Machinist Rasmus Christensen, reserve pilot engineer]]
On May 10, 1919, Mitscher was among a group of naval aviators attempting the first [[Transatlantic flight|transatlantic]] crossing by air. Among the men involved were fellow future admirals [[John Henry Towers|Jack Towers]], [[Albert Cushing Read|Albert C. Read]] and [[Patrick N. L. Bellinger]]. Mitscher piloted NC-1, one of three [[Curtiss NC]] [[flying boat]]s that attempted the flight, under the command of Bellinger. Taking off from [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], he nearly reached the [[Azores]] before heavy fog caused loss of the horizon, making flying in the early aircraft extremely dangerous. What appeared to be fairly calm seas at altitude turned out to be a heavy chop, and a control cable snapped while setting the aircraft down. Mitscher and his five crewmen were left to sit atop the upper wing of their "Nancy" while they waited to be rescued. Of the three aircraft making the attempt, only [[Curtiss NC-4|NC-4]] under command of Read successfully completed the crossing. For his part in the effort Mitscher received the [[Navy Cross]], the citation reading:
<blockquote>
''"For distinguished service in the line of his profession as a member of the crew of the Seaplane NC-1, which made a long overseas flight from New Foundland to the vicinity of the Azores, in May 1919".''<ref>''The Navy Book of Distinguished Service: An Official Compendium of the Names and Citations of the Men of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Foreign Governments Who Were Decorated by the Navy Department for Extraordinary Gallantry and Conspicuous Service Above and Beyond the Call of Duty in the World War'' (editor: Harry R. Stringer, p 107, Fassett Publishing Company: Washington DC, 1921).</ref>
</blockquote>

Mitscher was also made an officer of the [[Order of the Tower and Sword]] by the Portuguese government on June 3, 1919.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154&list=1|title=Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas|trans-title=Portuguese Honorary Orders|website=Presidency of the Portuguese Republic|language=pt|access-date=2018-04-26}}</ref>

On October 14, 1919, Mitscher reported for duty aboard {{USS|Aroostook|CM-3|2}}, a [[minelayer]] refitted as an "aircraft tender" that had been used as a support ship for the "Nancys'&nbsp;" transatlantic flight. He served under Captain [[Henry C. Mustin (1874–1923)|Henry C. Mustin]], another pioneering naval aviator. ''Aroostook'' was assigned temporary duties as [[flagship]] for the Air Detachment, Pacific Fleet. Mitscher was promoted to commander on July 1, 1921. In May 1922, he was detached from Air Squadrons, Pacific Fleet ([[San Diego]], California) to command [[Naval Support Facility Anacostia|Naval Air Station Anacostia]], D.C.<ref>''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'', volume IA, pp. 400–402, Aroostook. Also, ''The Washington Post'', Sunday edition, May 7, 1922, p. 6, column 3. Also, ''Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1922'', Washington Government Printing Office, 1922, p 36, no. in grade 458.</ref>

=== Service debates in Washington===
After six months in command at Anacostia he was assigned to a newly formed department, the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics. Here as a young aviator he assisted Rear Admiral [[William A. Moffett|William Moffett]] in defending the Navy's interest in air assets. General [[Billy Mitchell]] was advancing the idea that the nation was best defended by an independent service which would control all military aircraft. Though Mitscher was not a vocal member of the Navy's representatives, his knowledge of aircraft capabilities and limitations was instrumental in the Navy being able to answer Mitchell's challenge and retain their own airgroups. The debate culminated in the hearings before the Morrow Board, convened to study the best means of applying aviation to national defense.<ref>Taylor p. 78</ref> Mitscher testified before the board on October 6, 1925. General Mitchell sought public support for his position by taking his case directly to the people through the national press. For this action Mitchell was summoned for a court-martial. One of the witnesses called by the prosecution was Mitscher. In the end the Navy was left with its own air resources, and was allowed to continue to develop its own independent aviation branch.<ref>Taylor p. 79</ref>

=== Development of the carrier air arm ===
Over the next two decades Mitscher worked to develop naval aviation, taking assignments serving on the [[aircraft carrier]]s {{USS|Langley|CV-1|2}} and {{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|2}}, the [[seaplane tender]] {{USS|Wright|AV-1|2}}, and taking command of Patrol Wing 1, in addition to a number of assignments ashore. ''Langley'' was the navy's first aircraft carrier. A converted [[collier (ship)|collier]], she could only make {{convert|14|kn|km/h|lk=in}}, thus limiting her ability to generate wind over her [[flight deck]] and lift under the wings of her aircraft for launching and recovery. Aboard ''Langley'' Mitscher and other naval aviation pioneers developed many of the methods by which aircraft would be handled aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. Many of these techniques continue to be used in the current-day U.S. Navy.

During this period Mitscher was assigned command of the air group for the newly commissioned aircraft carrier ''Saratoga''. Mitscher was the first person to land an airplane onto the flight deck of ''Saratoga'' as he brought his air group aboard.<ref>Taylor p. 82</ref> The vessel conducted mock attacks against the [[Panama Canal]] and [[Pearl Harbor]] in a series of [[Fleet Problem]] exercises. The key lesson learned by the naval aviation officers during these exercises was the importance to locate and destroy the other side's flight decks as early as possible, while still preserving your own. In 1938, Mitscher was promoted to [[Captain (United States O-6)|captain]].<ref name=OHS/>

==World War II==
[[File:Marc A. Mitscher and James Doolittle.jpg|thumb|right|Lt. Colonel [[Jimmy Doolittle|James Doolittle]] and Captain Marc Mitscher on board USS ''Hornet''.{{#tag:ref|Mitscher is wearing an Army Air Force flight jacket. The photo was touched up to obscure the view of the jacket insignia of the air crews.|group=N}}]]
Between June 1939 and July 1941, Mitscher served as assistant chief of the [[Bureau of Aeronautics]].{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

===Carrier commander===
Mitscher's next assignment was as captain of the {{sclass|Yorktown|aircraft carrier|1}} {{USS|Hornet|CV-8|6}}, being fitted out at [[Newport News Shipbuilding]] in [[Newport News, Virginia]].<ref>Taylor p. 102</ref>  Upon her commissioning in October 1941, he assumed command, taking ''Hornet'' to the [[Naval Station Norfolk]] for her training out period. She was there in [[Virginia]] when the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor]]. Newest of the Navy's fleet carriers, Mitscher worked hard to get ship and crew ready for combat. Following her [[Shakedown cruise|shake-down cruise]] in the Caribbean, Mitscher was consulted on the possibility of launching long-range [[bomber]]s off the deck of a carrier.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} In April 1942, After affirming it could be done, the sixteen [[North American B-25 Mitchell|B-25]] bombers of the [[Doolittle Raid]] were loaded on deck aboard ''Hornet'' for a transpacific voyage while ''Hornet''{{'}}s own flight group was stored below deck in her hangar. ''Hornet'' rendezvoused with {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|2}} and [[Task Force 16]] in the mid-Pacific just north of [[Hawaii]]. Under the command of Admiral [[William F. Halsey|Halsey]], the task force proceeded in radio silence to a launch point {{convert|650|mi|km}} from Japan. ''Enterprise'' provided the air cover for both aircraft carriers while ''Hornet''{{'}}s flight deck was taken up ferrying the B-25s. ''Hornet'', then, was the real life "Shangri-la" that President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt]] referred to as the source of the B-25s in his announcement of the bombing attack on [[Tokyo]].{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

===Battle of Midway===
[[File:F4Fs VF-8 launch USS Hornet 2 1942.jpg|thumb|right|F4F Wildcats of VF-8 prepare to launch off USS ''Hornet''.]]
During the [[Battle of Midway]], 4–7 June 1942, ''Hornet'' and ''Enterprise'' carried the air groups that made up the strike force of Task Force 16, while {{USS|Yorktown|CV-5|2}} carried the aircraft of [[Task Force 17]]. Mitscher had command of the newest carrier in the battle and had the least experienced air group. As the battle unfolded, the Japanese carrier force was sighted early on June 4 at 234 degrees and about {{convert|140|mi|km}} from Task Force 16, sailing on a northwest heading. In plotting their attack there was strong disagreement among the air group commanders aboard ''Hornet'' as to the best intercept course. Lieutenant Commander Stanhope C. Ring, in overall command of ''Hornet''{{'}}s air groups, chose a course of 263 degrees, nearly true west, as the most likely solution to bring them to the Japanese carrier group.<ref>Parshall and Tulley p. 174</ref> He had not anticipated the Japanese turning east into the wind while they recovered their aircraft. Lieutenant Commander [[John C. Waldron]], in command of the [[torpedo bomber]]s of [[VT-8|Torpedo Eight]], strongly disagreed with Ring's flight plan. An aggressive aviator, he assured Mitscher he would get his group into combat and deliver their ordnance, no matter the cost.<ref>Taylor p. 131</ref>

Thirty minutes after the ''Hornet'' airgroups set out, Waldron broke away from the higher flying [[Fighter aircraft|fighters]] and [[dive bomber]]s, coming to a course of 240 degrees. This proved to be an excellent heading, as his Torpedo Eight squadron flew directly to the enemy carrier group's location "as though on a plumb line".<ref>Gay p. 113</ref>  They did so with no supporting fighters. On their way Torpedo Eight was picked up by ''Enterprise''{{'}}s [[VF-6]] fighter squadron flying several thousand feet above them. This group had launched last off ''Enterprise'' and had not been able to catch up with or locate the ''Enterprise'' dive bombers, but when Waldron dropped his group down to the deck to prepare for their attack the ''Enterprise'' fighters lost sight of them, leaving Torpedo Eight on their 
own. <ref>Parshall and Tulley p. 207</ref> 


[[File:Torpedo Eight in flight 1942.jpg|thumb|right|The fifteen Devastators of VT-8 form up as they leave ''Hornet''.]]
The first of the carrier squadrons to locate the Japanese carriers, Waldron bore down upon the enemy. He brought his group in low, slowing for their torpedo drops. With no fighter escort and no other attackers on hand to split the defenders, his group was devastated by defending Japanese [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|Zeros]] flying combat air patrol (CAP). All fifteen [[Douglas TBD Devastator|TBD Devastator]]s of VT-8 were shot down. Though not known at the time, the efforts of Torpedo Eight failed to deliver a hit on the Japanese carriers. Of the Torpedo Eight aircrews, only Ensign [[George H. Gay, Jr.]] survived. About twenty minutes later ''Enterprise''{{'}}s Torpedo Six made their own attack, and was met with a similar hot reception. Again, no torpedo hits were made, but five of the aircraft managed to survive the engagement. Though failing to inflict any damage, the torpedo attacks did pull the Japanese CAP down and northeast of the carrier force, leaving the approach from other angles unhindered.

[[Douglas SBD Dauntless|SBD]] dive bombers from ''Enterprise'' arriving from the south flew over the Japanese carrier force to reach their tipping points almost unopposed. They delivered a devastating blow to {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Kaga||2}} and managed to put a bomb into {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Akagi||2}} as well, while SBDs coming from the east from ''Yorktown'' dove down upon {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Sōryū||2}} and shattered her flight deck. All three ships were set ablaze, knocked out of the battle to sink later that day. While these attacks were in progress, Ring continued his search on a course of 260 degrees, flying to the north of the battle. Unable to find the enemy and running low on fuel, ''Hornet''{{'}}s strike groups eventually turned back, either toward ''Hornet'' or to [[Midway Island]] itself. All ten fighters in the formation ran out of fuel and had to ditch at sea. Several of her SBDs heading to Midway also ran out of fuel and had to ditch on their approach to the Midway base. Other SBDs attempting to return to ''Hornet'' were unable to locate her, and disappeared into the vast Pacific. All these aircraft were lost, though a number of the pilots were later rescued. Of ''Hornet''{{'}}s air groups, only Torpedo Eight ended up reaching the enemy that morning. ''Hornet''{{'}}s air groups suffered a 50 percent loss rate without achieving any combat results.<ref>Parshall and Tulley p. 274</ref>

The battle was a great victory and Mitscher congratulated his crew for their efforts, but ''Hornet''{{'}}s performance had not lived up to his expectations and he felt he had failed to deliver the results he should have.<ref>Taylor p. 138</ref> In addition, he felt great regret for the loss of John Waldron and Torpedo Eight.<ref>Taylor p. 136</ref> For the next three years he would try to secure the award of the [[Medal of Honor]] to the entire unit, but without success. The pilots of Torpedo Eight were eventually awarded the [[Navy Cross]].<ref>Taylor p. 137</ref>

Mitscher's decisions in the battle have come under scrutiny largely due to the questionable actions of his subordinates and discrepancies in his After Action report. According to author Robert J. Mrazek, Mitscher backed up Ring's decision to take the heading of 263 degrees, as well as the decision to keep the fighters at high altitude, too high to effectively cover the torpedo bombers. Mrazek states that Waldron vehemently protested both decisions in front of Ring and Mitscher, but was overruled by the latter.<ref>Mrazek, ''A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight'', (2009)</ref> At the time, American intelligence reports indicated that the Japanese might be operating their carriers in two groups, and the search plane contact report stated that only two carriers had been found.<ref>Parshall and Tully, ''Shattered Sword''</ref> Mitscher and Ring had agreed on the westerly heading in order to search behind the enemy task force for a possible trailing group.<ref>Mrazek</ref> A further controversy exists in that the only official report from ''Hornet'' states that the strike took a course heading of 239 degrees and missed the Japanese task force because it had turned north.<ref>{{cite web |last=Symonds |first=Craig L. |title=Mitschner and the Mystery of Midway |date=May 2012 |publisher=U.S. Naval Institute |url=http://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2012-05/mitscher-and-mystery-midway |access-date=February 9, 2017}}</ref> This statement does not agree with some testimonies of Air Group Eight pilots and other evidence, most noticeably that none of the downed VF 10 pilots who were later rescued were found along the 238 course heading. Finally, the fact that no After Action reports were filed other than the one signed by Mitscher containing the 239 course heading is unusual. Mrazek believes that the lack of reports indicates a cover-up, possibly in an effort to protect Mitscher's reputation.<ref>Mrazek, Symmonds</ref>

===Commander Air Solomon Islands===
Prior to the Midway operation Mitscher had been promoted to rear admiral in preparation for his next assignment, the command of Patrol Wing 2. Though Mitscher preferred to be at sea, he held this command until December when he was sent to the South Pacific as Commander Fleet Air, [[Nouméa]]. Four months later in April 1943, Halsey moved Mitscher up to [[Guadalcanal]], assigning him to the thick of the fight as Commander Air, [[Solomon Islands]] (COMAIRSOLS). Here Mitscher directed an assortment of [[US Army|Army]], Navy, [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] and New Zealand aircraft in the air war over Guadalcanal and up the Solomon chain. Said Halsey: "I knew we'd probably catch hell from the Japs in the air. That's why I sent Pete Mitscher up there. Pete was a fighting fool and I knew it."<ref>Taylor p. 145</ref>  Short on aircraft, fuel and ammunition, the atmosphere on Guadalcanal was one of dogged defense. Mitscher brought a fresh outlook, and instilled an offensive mindset to his assorted air commands.<ref>Taylor p. xxiv</ref> Mitscher later said this assignment managing the constant air combat over Guadalcanal was his toughest duty of the war.<ref>Taylor p. 332</ref>

===Battles for the Central Pacific===
[[File:Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher aboard USS Lexington (CV-16), in June 1944 (80-G-236831).jpg|thumb|right|Vice Admiral Mitscher aboard his flagship, {{USS|Lexington|CV-16|2}}, in 1944.]]
Returning to the Central Pacific as commander, [[Carrier Division 3]], Mitscher was given primary responsibility for the development and operations of a newly formed [[Fast Carrier Task Force]], at that time operating as Task Force 58 as part of Admiral [[Raymond Spruance]]'s [[United States Fifth Fleet|Fifth Fleet]]. To that point in the conflict carriers had been able to bring enough airpower to bear to inflict significant damage on opposing naval forces, but they always acted as a raiding group against land bases. They would approach their objective, inflict damage, and then escape into the vast reaches of the Pacific. Even the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, devastating though it was, was a carrier raid. Naval airpower was not thought to have the capacity to challenge land-based airpower over any length of time. Mitscher was about to change that, leading U.S. naval airpower into a new realm of operations.

[[File:Admiral Mitscher speaking with David McCampbell.jpg|thumb|right|Mitscher speaks with Air Group Commander [[David McCampbell]], the task force's leading pilot.]]
[[File:Fighter plane contrails in the sky.jpg|thumb|right|Contrails streak the sky during the defense of Task Force 58 in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.]]
The fleet had recently completed operations in the Gilbert Islands, taking [[Battle of Tarawa|Tarawa]] in a bloody and costly invasion in the process. This mission was done for the purpose of obtaining a land base for aircraft to support naval operations against the next objective, the [[Marshall Islands]]. The idea that land-based air support was necessary to successfully conduct an amphibious operation was traditional doctrine. The Marshalls would be the first key step in the Navy's march across the Pacific to reach Japan. Mitscher's objective was to weaken Japanese air defenses in the Marshalls and limit their capability of flying in reinforcements, in preparation for a U.S. invasion of the Marshalls, code named [[Operation Flintlock (World War II)|Operation Flintlock]]. Intelligence estimates of the Japanese defenders of the Marshall Islands believed they had approximately 150 aircraft at their disposal. Two days before the intended landings Mitscher's task groups approached to within {{convert|150|mi|km}} of the Marshalls and launched their air strikes, fighters first to soften up the defenders, followed by bombers to destroy ground emplacements, buildings, supplies, and the defenders' airfields. It was thought it would take two days to attain air superiority. Though the Japanese battled briskly, they lost control of the skies over the Marshall Islands by noon of the first day. What came next was an aerial bombardment of the Japanese defenses, followed by a [[Naval gunfire support|naval bombardment]] from the big guns of Spruance's surface force. The two days of destruction saved a great many lives of the Marines that were landed. The Japanese were estimated to have lost 155 aircraft. Mitscher's task force lost 57 aircraft, from which 31 pilots and 32 crewmen were lost. But the manner in which the fast carrier task force was employed established a pattern for future Pacific operations. In his summary report for the month of January, Admiral Nimitz commented it was "typical of what may be expected in the future."<ref>Taylor p. 179</ref>

Next, Mitscher led Task Force 58 in a raid against [[Chuuk Lagoon#World War II|Truk]], Satawan and Ponape (February 17–18).<ref>Willmott p. 176</ref> This was a big step up. The idea of purposely sailing into the range of a major Japanese naval and air base brought great unease to Mitscher's airmen. Said one: "They announced our destination over the loudspeaker once we were underway. It was Truk. I nearly jumped overboard."<ref>Taylor p. 183</ref>  But Mitscher felt confident they could succeed. As tactical commander of the striking force, he developed techniques that would help give his airmen the edge of surprise. In [[Operation Hailstone]], Mitscher's forces approached Truk from behind a weather front to launch a daybreak raid that caught many of the defenders off guard. The airmen brought devastation to the heavily defended base, destroying 72 aircraft on the ground and another 56 in the air, while a great number of auxiliary vessels and three warships were sunk in the lagoon. Chuckling over the pre-raid fears, Mitscher commented, "All I knew about Truk was what I'd read in the ''[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]''."<ref>Taylor p. 184</ref>

Through the spring of 1944 Task Force 58 conducted a series of raids on Japanese air bases across the Western Pacific, first in the [[Mariana Islands|Mariana]] and [[Palau|Palau Islands]],<ref>Potter pp. 122–127</ref> followed by a raid against Japanese bases in the [[Jayapura|Hollandia]] area.<ref>Potter pp. 129–132</ref> These attacks demonstrated that the air power of Task Force 58 was great enough to overwhelm the air defenses of not just a single island air base, or several bases on an island, but the air bases of several island groups at one time.<ref>Willmott p. 182</ref> The long-held naval rule that fleet operations could not be conducted in the face of land-based air power was brushed aside.

In the ensuing year Mitscher's aviators devastated Japanese carrier forces in the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]—also known as the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot"—during June 1944. Memorably, when a very long-range U.S. Navy follow-up strike had to return to their carriers in darkness, Mitscher ordered all the carriers' flight deck landing lights turned on, risking submarine attack to give his aviators the best chance of being recovered.

On 26 August 1944, when Admiral William Halsey relieved Admiral Raymond Spruance as the fleet commander, the ships of the Fifth Fleet became the Third Fleet, and the subordinate Fast Carrier Task Force 58 became Task Force 38. The redesignated task force remained commanded by Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher. One of the most unfortunate events of the Pacific war occurred on the morning of 21 September 1944, when spotter planes from one of TF 38's carriers came across the MATA-27 convoy and a full scale attack soon was launched. All eleven ships were sunk, including the ''Toyofuku Maru'', which received direct hits from two aerial torpedoes and three bombs, sinking within five minutes; unfortunately, the ''Toyofuku Maru'' was carrying Dutch and British prisoners of war below decks, of which 1,047 drowned. This was learned only after the war's end.

===Facing the kamikaze threat===
[[File:Admiral Mitscher and Arliegh Burke.jpg|thumb|left|Admiral Mitscher and chief of staff [[Arleigh Burke]] transfer to ''Enterprise'' after ''Bunker Hill'' was hit twice by kamikazes]]
During 1944 and 1945, Vice Admiral Mitscher's fast carriers, whether designated Task Force 38 or Task Force 58, spearheaded the thrust against the heart of the [[Japanese Empire]], covering successively the [[Battle of Peleliu|invasion of the Palaus]], the [[Philippines campaign (1944–45)|liberation of the Philippines]], and the conquests of [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima]] and [[Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa]]. On 26 January 1945, the Third Fleet again became the Fifth Fleet. During the Okinawa operation there was a weather-caused delay in the Army preparing serviceable air bases. To provide essential air support to the intense ground operations, Mitscher was obliged to keep then-Task Force 58 sailing in a box on station some {{convert|60|mi|km}} east of Okinawa, often in stormy weather and heavy seas, for the next two months. During this time they were subject to air attack around the clock, and the psychological pressures of warding off these attacks were enormous. Rarely did a night go by that all the ships' crews were not called to general quarters, and the days were worse. Mitscher won his second [[Navy Cross]]<ref name=NavyNC>{{cite web |url=https://valor.defense.gov/Portals/24/Navy%20-%20Navy%20Cross%20List%20-%202021%2002%2002.pdf?ver=d2g_29o48C-uP_kGnci3kg%3d%3d |title=(U.S. Navy) Navy Cross Recipients, World War II, 1941-1945 |date=2021-02-02 |publisher=[[U.S. Department of Defense]] |access-date=2022-07-03}}</ref> for the critical success of TF 38 over the period of October 22–30, 1944, both away from and also in direct support of the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/19592 |website=valor.militarytimes.com |publisher=[[Sightline Media Group]] |editor-first=Doug |editor-last=Sterner |title=Marc Andrew Mitscher {{!}} Navy Cross {{!}} Fast Carrier Task Force 38 {{!}} Serial 070 |date=1945-06-07 |access-date=2022-07-03 |quote=...as Commander, Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT (TF-38), Western Task Forces (THIRD Fleet), during the period 22 October 1944 to 30 October 1944...}}</ref> He won his third Navy Cross<ref name=NavyNC/> for the critical success of TF 58 over the period of January 27 – May 27, 1945, both away from and also in direct support of the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/19592 |website=valor.militarytimes.com |publisher=[[Sightline Media Group]] |editor-first=Doug |editor-last=Sterner |title=Marc Andrew Mitscher {{!}} Navy Cross {{!}} Fast Carrier Task Force 58 {{!}} Serial 00153 |date=1945-06-07 |access-date=2022-07-03 |quote=...as Commander, Fast Carrier Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT. From 27 January 1945 to 27 May 1945...}}</ref>

On 11 May 1945 Mitscher's flagship {{USS|Bunker Hill|CV-17|2}} was struck by [[kamikaze]]s, knocking her out of the operation and causing much loss of life. Half of Mitscher's staff officers were killed or wounded, and Mitscher was forced to shift his command to ''Enterprise''. ''Enterprise'' at that time was functioning as a "night carrier," launching and recovering her aircraft in the dark to protect the fleet against land-based Japanese bomber and torpedo aircraft slipping in to attack the fleet in the relative safety of night. When ''Enterprise'' too was struck by a kamikaze attack, Mitscher had to transfer once more, this time to {{USS|Randolph|CV-15|6}}, the carrier that earlier had been damaged by a long-range kamikaze attack at [[Ulithi]]. Throughout this period Mitscher repeatedly led the fast carriers northward to attack air bases on the [[Japanese Archipelago|Japanese home islands]]. On 27 May 1945, Halsey for the last time relieved Spruance as fleet commander; the next day Vice Admiral John S. McCain relieved Vice Admiral Mitscher as Commander, Task Force 38. Commenting on Admiral Mitscher upon his return from the Okinawa campaign, Admiral Nimitz said, "He is the most experienced and most able officer in the handling of fast carrier task forces who has yet been developed. It is doubtful if any officer has made more important contributions than he toward extinction of the enemy fleet."<ref>Taylor p. 304</ref> Exhausted and ill after a heart attack, Mitscher went to Washington, D.C., to serve as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air.

==Post-war==
[[File:Photograph of President Truman shaking hands with Admiral Marc Mitscher, commander of the 8th Fleet and wartime... - NARA - 199402.tif|thumb|right|President Truman congratulates Mitscher during a ceremony in which eight U.S. carriers were awarded Presidential Unit Citations, July 16, 1946.]]
[[File:80-G-702511 (25999431760).jpg|thumb|[[Fleet admiral (United States)|Fleet Admiral]] [[Chester W. Nimitz]], Fleet Admiral [[William D. Leahy]], President [[Harry S. Truman]], and [[Vice admiral (United States)|Vice Admiral]] Marc A. Mitscher on the bridge of the [[USS Franklin D. Roosevelt|USS ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'' (CV-42)]] during maneuvers off the Virginia Capes, 24 April 1946.]]
At the conclusion of World War II, and in the face of markedly reduced U.S. military spending, a political battle ensued in America over the need for, and the nature of, a post-war military, with advocates from the [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Forces]] insisting that with the [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|development of the atomic bomb]] the nation could be defended by the devastating power that [[strategic bomber]]s could deliver, thereby doing away with the need for Army or Navy forces. In their view, air assets in the Navy should be brought under the control of the soon-to-be-formed [[United States Air Force|Air Force]]. In the face of such proposals Mitscher remained a staunch advocate for naval aviation, and went so far as to release the following statement to the press:

<blockquote>Japan is beaten, and carrier supremacy defeated her. Carrier supremacy destroyed her army and navy air forces. Carrier supremacy destroyed her fleet. Carrier supremacy gave us bases adjacent to her home islands, and carrier supremacy finally left her exposed to the most devastating sky attack – the atomic fission bomb – that man has suffered.</blockquote>

<blockquote>When I say carrier supremacy defeated Japan, I do not mean air power in itself won the Battle of the Pacific. We exercised our carrier supremacy as part of a balanced, integrated air-surface-ground team, in which all hands may be proud of the roles assigned them and the way in which their duties were discharged. This could not have been done by a separate air force, exclusively based ashore, or by one not under Navy control.<ref>Potter p. 266</ref></blockquote>

By July 1946, when he was serving as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), Mitscher received, among other awards, two Gold Stars signifying his second and third [[Navy Cross]] and the [[Navy Distinguished Service Medal|Distinguished Service Medal]] with two Gold Stars.

He served briefly as commander [[United States Second Fleet|8th Fleet]] and on 26 September 1946 became Commander-in-Chief, [[United States Atlantic Fleet|U.S. Atlantic Fleet]], with the rank of [[Admiral (United States)|admiral]].

While in that assignment, Mitscher died on 3 February 1947 at the age of 60 of a [[coronary thrombosis]] at [[Norfolk, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/admiral-marc-a-mitscher-2360510 |title=World War II: Admiral Marc A. Mitscher |first=Kennedy |last=Hickman |date=14 May 2018 |access-date=13 January 2019 |work=[[ThoughtCo.]]}}</ref> He was buried in [[Arlington National Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/mamitsch.htm |title=Marc Andrew Mitscher |date=8 July 2022 |publisher=Arlington National Cemetery}}</ref>

== Mitscher's style as military commander ==
Though reserved and quiet, Mitscher possessed a natural authority.<ref>Taylor p. 74</ref> He could check{{huh|date=June 2024}} a man with a single question. He was intolerant of incompetence and would relieve officers who were not making the grade, but was lenient with what he would consider honest mistakes. Harsh discipline, he believed, ruined more men than it made. He was not forgetful of the abuse he took at the Naval Academy. He believed pilots could not be successfully handled with rigid discipline, as what made for a good pilot was an independence that inflexible discipline destroyed. At the same time he was insistent on rigid "air discipline" and he would break a man who violated it.<ref>Taylor p. 242</ref>

===Naval aviation tactics===
Before most other officers in the high command of the U.S. Navy, Mitscher had a grasp of the potential sudden, destructive power that air groups represented. The change in the operation of carriers from single or paired carriers with support vessels to task groups of three or four carriers was a Mitscher concept, which he implemented for the purpose of concentrating the fighter aircraft available for a better air defense of the carriers.

Offensively, Mitscher trained his air groups to engage in air attacks which delivered a maximum destructive force upon the enemy with the least amount of loss to his aviators. He sought well coordinated attacks. In a typical Mitscher-style air attack, fighter aircraft would come at the targets first, strafing the enemy ships to suppress their defensive anti-aircraft fire. In plain terms he intended his fighter pilots to wound or kill the target ship's anti-aircraft gun crews. Following the fighter runs, the ordnance-carrying aircraft would execute bombing and torpedo runs, preferably simultaneously to overburden the ship's defenses and negate evasive maneuvers. The attack would be completed in a few minutes. Once the attack was delivered the air groups would leave, as suddenly as they had arrived.<ref>Taylor p. 243</ref>

=== Leadership ===
Mitscher's command style was one of few words. His small frame belied the authority he carried. A raised eyebrow was all he needed to indicate he was not pleased with the effort of one of his officers. He was not patient with incompetent personnel, yet he was forgiving of what he considered "honest" mistakes, and would allow airmen a second chance when other officers would have washed them out. He placed tremendous value on his pilots and had great respect for the risks they were willing to accept in attacking the enemy. His practice was for the flight leaders of the air groups of the carrier he was commanding from to come up to the flag bridge and report following the completion of their missions. He valued greatly the information he received from the men who had been in the air on the scene. He was devoted to these men, and made a great effort to recover as many downed aircrew as possible. One place this was demonstrated was at the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], where he ordered the fleet flight decks illuminated so pilots returning in the dark and very low on fuel (many aircraft had to ditch into the sea) would have a better chance of finding the carriers, despite the risk from enemy submarines. He hated to lose a man, either adrift at sea, or worse, captured by the Japanese. Having spent time adrift on a downed aircraft himself, he was always deeply distressed that the numbers of rescued airmen were not higher.<ref>Potter p. 133</ref>

=== Personality ===
[[File:Mitscher and Burke.jpg|thumb|right|Mitscher and Arleigh Burke confer aboard USS ''Randolph'' during the Okinawa campaign.]]
Mitscher was a quiet man. He rarely spoke, never engaged in small talk and would never discuss mission details at the mess table. On the rare occasions when he would enter into conversation it would be about fishing, the love of which he picked up in his middle years.<ref>Potter p. 180</ref> Mitscher relaxed by reading cheap murder mysteries{{huh|date=June 2024}}, and when at sea he would always have one with him.<ref>Potter p. 138</ref> Though he appeared distant and severe, Mitscher possessed a dry sense of humor and held a deep affection for his men. Once when a destroyer came alongside to refuel from their carrier, Mitscher took the opportunity to gently rib his chief of staff, Captain [[Arleigh Burke]]. Burke had come to Mitscher from destroyers, and preferred a fighting command over his new role as chief of staff. To the Marine sentry standing nearby, Mitscher ordered "Secure Captain Burke, till that destroyer casts off."<ref>Potter p. 128</ref>

=== Relations toward superior officers ===
Mitscher had tactical control of Task Force 58/38 and directed its subordinate task groups. Strategic control was held by Spruance or Halsey. While Spruance granted his subordinates great authority, Halsey exercised much tighter control, such that commander, Third Fleet, was for all practical purposes commander, Task Force 38 as well; this was clearly and repeatedly seen in the battle of Leyte Gulf. But however much he may have disagreed with an order, once a decision was made by either of his superiors, Mitscher would implement the decision without complaint. This was most prominently exemplified in the last two major naval battles of the war: the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]] and the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]]. In each case Mitscher recommended a course of action which differed sharply from the one subsequently ordered by his fleet commander. In each case, once the order was given, Mitscher set about executing the order without further debate or protest.

Nevertheless, late in the war, Mitscher did preempt [[United States Fifth Fleet|U.S. Fifth Fleet]] commander Admiral Raymond Spruance in stopping a [[Operation Ten-Go|Japanese naval sortie]], centered on the super-battleship ''Yamato,'' from reaching [[Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa]]. Upon receiving contact reports from submarines ''Threadfin'' and ''Hackleback'' early on 7 April 1945, Spruance ordered Task Force 54, which consisted of older [[Standard-type battleship]]s under the command of Rear Admiral [[Morton Deyo]] (and which were then engaged in shore bombardment of Okinawa), to prepare to intercept and destroy the Japanese sortie. Deyo began to plan how to execute his orders. Mitscher, however, preempted using the American battleship force by launching on his own initiative a massive air strike from his three carrier task groups then in range of the Japanese surface formation—without informing Spruance until after the launches were completed.<ref>''Triumph in the Pacific'' by E.B. Potter, also ''[[History of United States Naval Operations in World War II]]'' by [[Samuel Eliot Morison]].</ref> As a senior naval aviation officer, "Mitscher had spent a career fighting the battleship admirals who had steered the navy's thinking for most of [that] century. One of those was his immediate superior, Raymond Spruance. Mitscher [may have] felt a stirring of battleship versus aircraft carrier rivalry. Though the carriers had mostly fought the great battles of the Pacific, whether air power alone could prevail over a surface force had not been proven beyond all doubt. Here was an opportunity to end the debate forever."<ref name="historynet.com">{{cite web | url=http://www.historynet.com/killing-the-yamato.htm | title=Killing the Yamato | first=Robert | last=Gandt | date=August 4, 2011 | work=HistoryNet.com | access-date=August 22, 2018}}</ref> After being informed of Mitscher's launches, Spruance agreed that the air strikes could go ahead as planned. As a contingency should the air strikes not be successful, Spruance planned to assemble a force of six new fast battleships ({{USS|South Dakota|BB-57|2}}, {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59|2}}, {{USS|Indiana|BB-58|2}}, {{USS|New Jersey|BB-62|2}}, {{USS|Wisconsin|BB-64|2}}, and {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|2}}), together with seven cruisers (including the newly-arrived large cruisers {{USS|Alaska|CB-1|2}} and {{USS|Guam|CB-2|2}}), escorted by 21 destroyers, and to prepare for a surface engagement with ''Yamato.''  Mitscher's air strikes sank ''Yamato'', light cruiser ''Yahagi'', and four destroyers (the other four fled back to Japanese ports), at the cost of ten aircraft and twelve aircrew lost.<ref>[http://navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Final_Sortie.htm Order of Battle - Final Sortie of the Imperial Japanese Navy - 7 April 1945]</ref><ref>Authors Garzke and Dulin speculate that the likely outcome of a battle between the older (and slower) American force under Deyo and the ''Yamato'' would have been a victory for the Allies, but at a serious cost due to the large margin of superiority ''Yamato'' held over the older American battleships in firepower (460&nbsp;mm vs. 356&nbsp;mm), armor, and speed ({{convert|27|knots}} vs. {{convert|21|knots}}. A hypothetical battle between Spruance's new battleships and the Japanese super-battleship would have been a very different story.(Garzke and Dulin (1985)), p. 60.</ref>

==Legacy==
Two ships of the Navy have been named USS ''Mitscher'' in his honor: the post-World War II frigate, {{USS|Mitscher|DL-2}}, later re-designated as the guided-missile destroyer (DDG-35), and the currently serving {{sclass|Arleigh Burke|destroyer|0}} guided-missile destroyer, {{USS|Mitscher|DDG-57}}.

The airfield and a street at [[Marine Corps Air Station Miramar]] (formerly Naval Air Station Miramar) were also named in his honor (Mitscher Field and Mitscher Way).

Mitscher Hall at the United States Naval Academy houses chaplain offices, meeting rooms, and an auditorium.<ref>
{{cite web | last =Rodenburg | first =J. D. | title =Mitscher Hall | publisher =Wikimapia | year =2007 | url =http://wikimapia.org/2927002/Mitscher-Hall | access-date = 18 May 2012}}</ref>

In 1989, Mitscher was inducted into the [[International Air & Space Hall of Fame]] at the [[San Diego Air & Space Museum]].<ref>Sprekelmeyer, Linda, editor. ''These We Honor: The International Aerospace Hall of Fame''. Donning Co. Publishers, 2006. {{ISBN|978-1-57864-397-4}}.</ref>

The words of Admiral [[Arleigh Burke]], his wartime chief of staff, provide the greatest tribute and recognition of his leadership:
: "He spoke in a low voice and used few words. Yet, so great was his concern for his people—for their training and welfare in peacetime and their rescue in combat—that he was able to obtain their final ounce of effort and loyalty, without which he could not have become the preeminent carrier force commander in the world. A bulldog of a fighter, a strategist blessed with an uncanny ability to foresee his enemy's next move, and a lifelong searcher after truth and trout streams, he was above all else—perhaps above all other—a Naval Aviator."

The character Pete Richards, played by [[Walter Brennan]], in the 1949 film [[Task Force (film)|Task Force]] is loosely based on Mitscher.

==Awards and decorations==
Ribbon bar of Admiral Mitscher:

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="4"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Naval Aviator Badge.jpg|width=256|alt=}}
|-
|colspan="6"|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|other_device=v|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Mexican Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|other_device=a|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=8|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Phliber rib.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Order of the Bath (ribbon).svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=PRT Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword - Commander BAR.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|-
|} 
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
!Badge
|colspan="14"|[[Naval Aviator Badge]]
|-
!1st Row
|colspan="12"|[[Navy Cross]] <br />with two gold stars 
|-
!2nd Row
|colspan="4"|[[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]] <br />with two gold stars 
|colspan="4"|[[Legion of Merit]] with [["V" Device]] 
|colspan="4"|[[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]] <br />with two stars 
|-
!3rd Row
|colspan="4"|[[Mexican Campaign Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] <br />with "Escort" Clasp
|colspan="4"|[[American Defense Service Medal]] <br />with "A" device
|-
!4th Row
|colspan="4"|[[American Campaign Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] <br />with one silver and three bronze service stars
|colspan="4"|[[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]]
|-
!5th Row
|colspan="4"|[[Philippine Liberation Medal]] <br />with two stars
|colspan="4"|[[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Order of the Bath]] <br />(United Kingdom)
|colspan="4"|Commander of the <br />[[Order of the Tower and Sword]] <br />(Portugal)
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[List of military figures by nickname]]

== References ==
===Notes===
{{Reflist|group=N}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{Cite book|last=Gay|first=George|year=1979|title=Sole Survivor|publisher=Midway Publishers|location=Naples, Florida|isbn=0-938300-08-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Hornfischer|first=James D.|author-link=James D. Hornfischer |title=The Fleet at Flood Tide: The U.S. at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945|year=2016|publisher=Random House Publishing Group}}
* {{Cite book | last=Parshall | first=Jonathan | author2=Tully, Anthony | year=2005 | title=Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway | publisher=Potomac Books | location=Dulles, Virginia | isbn=1-57488-923-0 | url=https://archive.org/details/shatteredswordun0000pars }}
* {{Cite book|author=Potter, E. B.|author-link=E. B. Potter|year=2005|title=Admiral Arleigh Burke|publisher=U.S. Naval Institute Press| isbn=978-1-59114-692-6}}
*[[Theodore Taylor (author)|Taylor, Theodore]]. ''The Magnificent Mitscher''. New York: Norton, 1954; reprinted Annapolis, Md.: [[Naval Institute Press]], 1991. {{ISBN|1-55750-800-3}}.
* Willmott, H.P. (1984) "June, 1944" Blandford Press {{ISBN|0-7137-1446-8}}
{{DANFS}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20151231163901/http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/biographies-list/bios-m/mitscher-marc-a.html Admiral Marc Mitscher, U.S. Navy Biography]

{{Authority control}}

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