Post-war
Immediately after the surrender of Japan, 54 ships of the Third Fleet, with Halsey's four-star flag flying from the USS South Dakota, returned to the United States for the annual Navy Day Celebrations in San Francisco on October 27, 1945. He hauled down his flag in November of that year and was assigned special duty in the office of the Secretary of the Navy. On December 11, 1945, he took the oath as Fleet Admiral, becoming the fourth and last officer to hold the rank. Fleet Admiral Halsey made a goodwill flying trip through Central and South America, covering nearly 28,000 miles and 11 nations. He retired from active service in March 1947, though as a Fleet Admiral he was not taken off active duty status.
Asked about the weapons used to win the war, Halsey offered:
If I had to give credit to the instruments and machines that won us the war in the Pacific, I would rate them in this order: submarines first, radar second, planes third, bulldozers fourth.
Upon retirement, he joined the board of two subsidiaries of the International Telephone and Telegraph Company, including the American Cable and Radio Corporation, and served until 1957. He maintained an office near the top of the ITT Building at 67 Broad Street, New York City during the late 1950s. He was involved in a number of efforts to preserve his former flagship, the USS Enterprise (CV-6), as a memorial in New York harbor. These proved fruitless, as they were unable to secure adequate funding to preserve the ship.
Halsey died on August 16, 1959 on Fishers Island, New York and was interred in Arlington National Cemetery. His wife, Frances Grandy Halsey (1887–1968), is buried with him.
Asked about his contribution in the Pacific and the role he played in defending the United States, Halsey said merely:
There are no great men, just great challenges which ordinary men, out of necessity, are forced by circumstances to meet.
Read more about this topic: William Halsey, Jr.
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