Paul D. Stroop

Vice Admiral Paul D. Stroop (1904-1995) was an officer of the United States Navy and a Naval Aviator. He held numerous high-ranking staff positions in aviation from the 1930s onward, including World War II service on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, he held various sea commands. From 1959-1962, he oversaw the development of the Navy's aerial weapons, including early guided missiles, as Chief of the Bureau of Naval Weapons. During the later 1960s, he commanded Naval air forces in the Pacific.

Early life and career

Stroop graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1926, then spent the next two years on board USS "Arkansas". In 1928, he served as a member of U.S. gymnastic team at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.

Naval aviation assignments

From 1928-1929, Stroop received flight training at Pensacola, Florida, and in 1929 received his wings as a Naval Aviator. His first aviation assignment was with Torpedo Squadron 9, based at NAS Norfolk, VA. In 1932, he was transferred to Patrol Squadron 10, NAS Norfolk, VA, 1932.

From 1932-1934, he undertook postgraduate work at the Naval Academy. After completing his studies, he returned to Fleet assignments. He served from 1934-1936 with Bombing Squadron 5, aboard the carrier USS "Ranger". From 1936-1937, he was Senior Aviator aboard USS "Portland".

In 1937, Stroop gained his first experience in the Naval Aviation material establishment when he was assigned to the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer). He left BuAer in 1940 to join the staff of ADM A. Fitch, Patrol Wing 2, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In 1940, Stroop became Flag Officer and Tactical Officer, CO, Carrier Division 1, San Diego.

World War II

After the United States entry into World War II, Stroop was transferred to Pearl Harbor. In 1942, he joined the staff of Carrier Task Force, USS "Lexington", Pearl Harbor. From 1942-1943, he served as Planning Officer, Senior Naval Commander, Air Force, South Pacific.

He next gained his own command, serving from 1943-1944 as Commanding Officer of the USS MACKINAC.

Stroop spent the last months of the war in Washington, D.C., serving from 1944-1945 in the Navy Department as Aviation Plans Officer on the Staff of Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet.

In this capacity, Stroop attended the Yalta, Quebec, Potsdam Conferences, later making a trip around the world to inform commands of outcome of the Yalta Conference.

Post-WW2 activities

In 1945, Stroop left the Navy Department to become Commanding Officer of USS "Croatan". He served as Fleet Aviation Officer (later Chief of Staff, Operations), Fifth Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan, 1945-1946, and then as Aviation Officer (later Assistant Chief of Staff) Operations, Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), Pearl Harbor, HI, 1946-1948.

From 1948-1950, Stroop served as Executive Officer at the Navy's General Line School, Monterey, California, then again took up his own studies as a student at the National War College, Washington, DC, 1950-1951.

In 1951, Stroop became Commanding Officer of the USS "Princeton". Then in 1952, he assumed command of the USS "Essex". In 1953, he left the "Essex" to become Commanding Officer of the Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, California.

From 1953-1955, he was Senior Member, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Department, Washington. From 1955-1957, he served as Deputy Chief at the Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd).

From 1957-1958, he was Commanding Officer, Taiwan Patrol Force, Okinawa, Japan. From 1959-1962 he was Chief of the Bureau of Naval Weapons.

Stroop served from 1962-1965 as Commanding Officer, Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet (COMNAVAIRPAC), and as Commanding Officer, First Fleet, Air PAC. He retired in 1965.

References

* Grossnick, Roy et al. "Part 8: The New Navy 1954-1959."] "United States Naval Aviation 1910-1995." 4th edition. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1997. Online. Naval Historical Center. Viewed 24 February 2006. [http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/PART08.PDF http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/PART08.PDF]

* "Stroop, Paul D., VADM, USN, 1904-1995". in "A GUIDE TO ARCHIVES, MANUSCRIPTS AND ORAL HISTORIES IN THE NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION". Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 2001. Compiled by Evelyn M. Cherpak, Ph.D. Online. 2001. Naval War College. Viewed 24 February 2006. [http://www.nwc.navy.mil/Library/3Publications/NWCLibraryPublications/NavHistCollPubs/NHC%20Guide.doc http://www.nwc.navy.mil/Library/3Publications/NWCLibraryPublications/NavHistCollPubs/NHC%20Guide.doc] [Source of biographical data]

"NHC It also contains public-domain information collected from the Naval War College, an institution of the United States government."

External links

* [http://www.nawcwpns.navy.mil/clmf/COs.html China Lake Military Leadership] - from the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake