Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --

Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, USN, (1887-1947)

Marc Andrew Mitscher was born in Hillsboro, Wisconsin, on 26 January 1887. He attended elementary and secondary schools in Washington, D.C., and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1910. During the next half-decade, Mitscher served in armored cruisers, gunboats and destroyers, then received training as a pilot. Designated a Naval Aviator in June 1916, he served at Pensacola, Florida until 1917, when he was assigned to conduct experiments with shipboard catapults. Later in 1917 and in 1918, he served at Naval Air Stations, commanding those at Rockaway, Long Island, and Miami, Florida. In May 1919, he participated in the trans-Atlantic flight attempt of the seaplane NC-1.

Through the next two decades, Mitscher had a variety of important aviation duties in Washington, D.C., San Diego, California, and on board ship. He was a member of the Navy team in air races held in 1922 and 1923, helped place the new aircraft carrier Saratoga (CV-3) in commission in 1927, was Executive Officer of USS Langley (CV-1) in 1929-30 and of the Saratoga in 1934-35. In 1937-39, he commanded the seaplane tender Wright (AV-1) and Patrol Wing ONE.

Following two years as Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, Captain Mitscher was Commanding Officer of the carrier Hornet (CV-8) in 1941-42. During this time, his ship launched the April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Japan and participated in the June 1942 Battle of Midway. Promoted to Rear Admiral, he next commanded Patrol Wing TWO and Navy air units in the Southern Pacific during the Guadalcanal and Central Solomons campaigns of 1942-43. In the last five months of 1943, he commanded Fleet Air, West Coast.

After service as Commander Carrier Division THREE during the Marshalls campaign, Vice Admiral Mitscher was placed in command of the Pacific Fleet's "fast carriers". In that capacity during 1944, he took part in raids on Japanese-held Pacific Islands, the campaigns to capture the Marianas, Palaus and Leyte, and the Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf. In January-May 1945, as Commander Task Force 58, he led air assaults on Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Japanese Home Islands.

In July 1945, Mitscher became Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air. During March-September 1946 he commanded the Eighth Fleet during the Navy's first major post-World War II combat training exercises. Admiral Mitscher was then assigned as Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. While holding that position, he died of a heart attack on 3 February 1947.

This page features selected views of Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, USN.

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 47717 Lieutenant Commander Marc A. Mitscher, USN Photographed at Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C., September 1922. He was then in command of that air station. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 51KB; 560 x 765 pixels
Photo #: 80-G-424169 Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, USN Photographed during World War II. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 48KB; 595 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-236831 Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, USN, Commander, Task Force 58 On board his flagship, USS Lexington (CV-16), at the time of the Marianas campaign, June 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-K-10012 (Color) Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, USN, Commander, Eighth Fleet On the bridge of his flagship, circa 1946. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 66KB; 590 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: NH 74341 Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, Commander, Eighth Fleet In the cockpit of an airplane, on board USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42), 15 May 1946. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Admiral Arleigh A. Burke. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 106KB; 580 x 765 pixels
Photo #: 80-G-433310 Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Marc A. Mitscher, USN In a Curtiss type "A" seaplane, at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, circa 1916. After completing flight school in that year, he was designated Naval Aviator Number 33. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 112KB; 740 x 575 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: NH 53154 Officers of the seaplane NC-1 Photographed on 3 May 1919, prior to their trans-Atlantic flight attempt. They are (left to right): Lieutenant Commander Patrick N.L. Bellinger; Lieutenant Commander Marc A. Mitscher; and Lieutenant Louis T. Barin. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 605 pixels
Photo #: NH 47718 Commander Marc A. Mitscher, USN, Chief of Staff to Commander Aircraft, Base Force Seals barographs that were carried by squadron VP-10F aircraft on their non-stop flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, January 1934. The instruments were checked by the Bureau of Standards to authenticate the flight, which broke three existing world's records. Donation of Vice Admiral A.W. Johnson, 1956. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 605 pixels
Photo #: NH 64472 Doolittle Raid on Japan, 18 April 1942 Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle (left front), leader of the attacking force, and Captain Marc A. Mitscher, Commanding Officer of USS Hornet (CV-8), pose with a 500-pound bomb and USAAF aircrew members during ceremonies on Hornet's flight deck, while the raid task force was en route to the launching point. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 125KB; 740 x 605 pixels
Photo #: NH 58328 Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher (left), Commander, Task Force 58, and Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas On board a U.S. Navy ship off Guam, 1945. Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 610 pixels
Photo #: 80-G-320987 Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, USN, Commander, Task Force 58 Is highlined from a destroyer to USS Randolph (CV-15) via boatswain's chair, 15 May 1945. This was the third time he had transferred his flag in four days, as his two previous flagships, USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) and USS Enterprise (CV-6) had both been badly damaged by "Kamikaze" hits off Okinawa. Photographed by Ensign H.F. Barrett. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 79KB; 590 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Photo #: 80-G-468931 Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, USN, (left) Commander Task Force 58 With his Chief of Staff, Commodore Arleigh A. Burke, on board USS Randolph during operations off Okinawa. Photograph is dated June 1945, but was probably taken in May. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

Page made 4 March 2001
Link added 11 March 2001