Welcome to our collection of quotes by William Halsey. We hope you enjoy pondering them and please share widely.
Wikipedia Summary for William Halsey
William Frederick Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He is one of four individuals to have attained the rank of fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the others being Ernest King, William Leahy, and Chester W. Nimitz.
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Halsey graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1904. He served in the Great White Fleet and, during World War I, commanded the destroyer USS Shaw. He took command of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga in 1935 after completing a course in naval aviation, and was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 1938. At the start of the War in the Pacific (1941–1945), Halsey commanded the task force centered on the carrier USS Enterprise in a series of raids against Japanese-held targets.
Halsey was made commander of the South Pacific Area, and led the Allied forces over the course of the Battle for Guadalcanal (1942–1943) and the fighting up the Solomon chain (1942–1945). In 1943 he was made commander of the Third Fleet, the post he held through the rest of the war. He took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle of the Second World War and, by some criteria, the largest naval battle in history. He was promoted to fleet admiral in December 1945 and retired from active service in March 1947.
Strike fast, strike hard, strike often.
There are no extraordinary men just extraordinary circumstances that ordinary men are forced to deal with.
There are no great men, just great circumstances, and how they handle those circumstances will determine the outcome of history.
I never trust a fighting man who doesn't smoke or drink.
All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them, but confront them. Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble.
There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.
There aren't any great men. There are just great challenges that ordinary men like you and me are forced by circumstances to meet.
There are no great men, only ordinary men, who have met extraordinary challenges.
The Marine Corps has just been called by the New York Times, 'The elite of this country.' I think it is the elite of the world.
When this war is over, the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell!
All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them but confront them.
If you want to go anywhere in modern war, in the air, on the sea, on the land, you must have command of the air.
There are no extraordinary men... just extraordinary circumstances that ordinary men are forced to deal with.