rapid fire
In Review
The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King — The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea. By Walter R. Borneman. Little, Brown, and Co., 2012. $29.99. ISBN 978-0-316-09784-0.
In this revealing naval history, Walter Borneman presents the extraordinary biographies of the only four men in American history to hold the five-star rank of fleet admiral — Chester Nimitz, William Halsey, William Leahy, and Ernest King.
Borneman tells how these men shaped and led “the largest and most powerful armada ever to sail the seas” during World War II in the Pacific and Atlantic, with two admirals in the public eye as battlefield commanders and two others successfully scripting grand strategy.
With crisp narrative, Borneman describes how these men — ambitious, shrewd, bold, and determined — rose from duties on obsolete gunboats to command mighty naval fleets. He discusses their strengths and weaknesses as leaders, as well as controversies over tactical decisions and contentious disputes with politicians and Gen. Douglas MacArthur. This is also an excellent history of the U.S. Navy from 1898 to 1945.
The Swamp Fox: Lessons in Leadership From the Partisan Campaigns of Francis Marion. By Scott Aiken. Naval Institute Press, 2012. $42.95. ISBN 978-1-61251-113-9.
Brig. Gen. Francis Marion (1732-95) might be one of the most underappreciated soldiers of the American Revolution. His incredible skill as a leader of partisan militia fighting against British red-coats and Tory loyalists in the crucial South Carolina campaign from 1780-82 makes him a leader worth studying, says historian Scott Aiken.
Aiken presents a thorough analysis of Marion’s successful operations of unconventional warfare, “a strategy of erosion,” and always fighting out-numbered and outgunned coupled with superiority in mobility, reconnaissance, intelligence, logistics, tactical planning, and execution. Aiken also compares Marion’s means to irregular warfare in the 21st century.
— William D. Bushnell
WOUNDED WARRIOR MADE LIFE MEMBER
In July 2012, Army 1st Lt. Nathan Rimpf, second from right, was only a few months into his first deployment as a Ranger when he stepped on an IED and lost both his legs.
While Rimpf was recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., MOAA leaders got word of Rimpf’s story and wanted to ensure the young veteran’s sacrifice always would be honored and defended. In October 2012, President Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN (Ret), right, made the lieutenant a MOAA Life Member.
ARMY 10-MILER
MOAA’s running team will for its ninth year in a row participate in the Army 10-Miler Oct. 20. Make sure to secure your spot early. Priority and military registration open May 1; general registration opens May 15. Then register for MOAA’s running team-related festivities. Find out more at
www.moaa.org/running.
CAREER FAIR
Jump-start your job search at MOAA’s military- and spouse-friendly career fair (
www.moaa.org/career) April 2 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., and pre-fair networking event at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va., March 28.
GOLF CLASSIC
Join MOAA for a day on the greens and support the MOAA Scholarship Fund at the 10th annual MOAA/Jeff Peck Memorial Golf Classic, May 8 at Westfields Golf Club in Clifton, Va.
To register or for more information, visit
www.moaa.org/golfclassic.
APRIL 2013 MILITARY OFFICER 25
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