Felix Stump

Infobox Military Person
name= Felix Stump
lived= birth date|1894|12|15 – death date and age|1972|6|13|1894|12|15
placeofbirth= Parkersburg, West Virginia
placeofdeath= Bethesda Naval Hospital


caption= As commander in chief, U.S. Pacific Command, with Secretary of the Navy Robert B. Anderson, November 1953.
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Navy
serviceyears= 1917-1958
rank= Admiral
commands=USS Lexington (CV-16) USS Enterprise (CV-6) United States Pacific Command
unit=
battles=World War II
awards= Navy Cross (2)
laterwork=

Felix Budwell Stump (December 15, 1894–June 13, 1972) was an admiral in the United States Navy and Commander, United States Pacific Fleet from July 10, 1953 until July 31, 1958.

Stump was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, spent his early life there and appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1913.cite web |url=http://www.navybuddies.com/dd/dd978.htm|title=USS Stump (DD 978)|publisher=Navy Buddies.com|accessdate=2007-08-06]

Early career

Stump served in the gunboat USS "Yorktown" (PG-1) and as navigator aboard the cruiser USS "Cincinnati" (C-7) during World War I in the Atlantic. After the war he served in the pre-dreadnaught battleship USS "Alabama" (BB-8). Shortly thereafter Stump attended flight training at the Naval Air Station Pensacola in 1920-1921 followed by postgraduate instruction in Aeronautical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 1923 to 1925 he was a Naval Flight Officer in Torpedo Squadron 2 (VT-2) "Doer Birds" of the experimental carrier USS "Langley" (CV-1). He commanded the Cruiser Scouting Wing in 1928-1929 and served on the Staff of Commander Cruisers, Scouting Fleet in 1930-1931. Stump was Commanding Officer of USS "Saratoga" (CV-3)'s Scout-Bombing Squadron 2 (VSB-2) in 1936-1937. From 1938 to 1939 he served as Navigator of USS "Lexington" (CV-2). Promoted to Commander in 1940, he served as Executive Officer of USS "Enterprise" (CV-6).

World War II

At the outbreak of World War II, Stump was Commanding Officer of USS "Langley" (CV-1) in Manila Bay, Philippines. In January 1942 he was transferred to the Staff of the Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet for which he was awarded the U.S. Army's Distinguished Service Medal.

Stump was the first captain of the USS "Lexington" (CV-16) following her commission in 1943.cite web |url=http://www.caller.com/news/2007/jul/15/lex-reunion/|title=Aboard Blue Ghost again|publisher=Caller-Times|accessdate=2007-07-30]

In 1944 Stump was promoted to Rear Admiral and took command of Task Unit 52.11.2 and Carrier Division 24 embarked on the escort carrier USS "Corregidor" (CVE-58) for operations against Saipan.

Following action at Saipan, Stump retained commanded Carrier Division 24 but was now assigned to Task Unit 77.4.2 ("Taffy II"). At the Leyte Gulf and Samar he embarked aboard the USS "Natoma Bay" (CVE-62) in October 1944. For his role in these battles he was awarded the Navy Cross. His flag remained on "Natoma Bay" through early 1945 while his sailors continued operations in the Philippines.cite web |url=http://www.bosamar.com/usforces/stump_bio.html|title=Task Unit 77.4.2 (Taffy II) Commander Carrier Division 24|publisher=Bosamar.com|accessdate=2007-08-06]

In May 1945 he served as Chief of Naval Air Technical Training Command and kept that post until December 1948.

Post-war

From December 1948 to 1951 Stump served as Commander of Naval Air Forces Atlantic Fleet during which time he was promoted to Vice Admiral. From March 1951 until June 1953, Stump served as Commander, United States Second Fleet.cite web |url=http://www.secondfleet.navy.mil/files/history/previous_commander.html|title=PREVIOUS COMMANDERS |publisher=United States Navy|accessdate=2007-07-30]

From July 10, 1953 to January 14, 1958, now promoted to full Admiral, he served as Commander US Pacific Command until his retirement, effective August 1, 1958. After his retirement, he was appointed to the position of Vice Chairman of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Stump died of cancer at Bethesda Naval Hospital in 1972.cite web |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906118,00.html?iid=chix-sphere|title=Time Obituaries|publisher=Time, Inc.|accessdate=2007-07-30]

ee also

USS Stump (DD-978)

References

Books

*cite book
last = Morison
first = Samuel E.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1958
chapter =
title = History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Leyte, June 1944 - January 1945, Volume XII
publisher = Castle Books
location = Edison, New Jersey
id = ISBN 0-7858-1313-6

*cite book
last = Y'Blood
first = William T.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1987
chapter =
title = The Little Giants: U.S. Escort Carriers Against Japan
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location = Annapolis, Maryland
id = ISBN 0870212753

*cite book
last = Wukovits
first = John F.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1995
chapter =
title = Devotion to Duty, A Biography of Admiral Clifton A. F. Sprague
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location = Annapolis, Maryland
id = ISBN 1557509441

External links

* [http://www.bosamar.com The Battle Off Samar - Taffy III at Leyte Gulf by Robert Jon Cox]
*findagrave|6807082 Retrieved on 2008-01-24