Walden L. Ainsworth
Encyclopedia
Walden Lee "Pug" Ainsworth (November 10, 1886 – August 7, 1960) was an admiral of the United States Navy
. For his role in commanding destroyer and cruiser task forces in the Pacific during World War II
, he was awarded the Navy Cross
, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
, and the Legion of Merit
.
. He entered the United States Naval Academy
on June 21, 1906, and graduated on June 3, 1910. Following successive two-year tours at sea in Iowa
(BB-4)
and in transport Prairie, he shifted to Florida
(BB-30) during the spring of 1914, just in time to act as the adjutant of one of the battalions that landed at Veracruz
, Mexico
, on April 21. Upon the successful completion of that operation, he returned to Florida and served in her until sent to DeKalb
(Id. No. 3010) in May 1917. During the participation of the United States in World War I
, he served in transports DeKalb and America (Id. No. 3006). During the last months of the conflict, he found himself in Frederick
(ACR-8).
, for two years as inspector of ordnance at the Navy's Armor and Projectile Plant before returning to sea as executive officer of the transport Hancock
(AP-3). Then, after a brief stint holding the same post in the light cruiser
Birmingham
(CL-2), he commanded the destroyer
Marcus
(DD-321) for a year before becoming inspector of ordnance at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. In August 1924, orders sent him to the New York Navy Yard.
By the end of 1925, Ainsworth's growing stature in the field of ordnance
won him the position of gunnery officer on the staff of the Commander, Destroyer Squadrons, Asiatic Fleet. In July 1927, he took command of Paul Jones
(DD-230), but left that destroyer late in the summer of 1928 to begin three years at the Naval Academy as an instructor in the Department of Navigation.
At the end of the 1930–31 academic year, Ainsworth returned to sea in Idaho
(BB-42) to serve as that battleship's navigator. Next came a tour in heavy cruiser
Pensacola
(CA-24) and one as communication officer for the 14th Naval District before he reported to the Naval War College
at Newport, R.I., for the senior course. In June 1936, Ainsworth became the executive officer of Mississippi
(BB-41) and, two years later, he became Professor of Naval Science and Tactics at Tulane University
in New Orleans, Louisiana
.
in Europe was almost a year old when he took command of Destroyer Squadron 2 (DesRon 2) on July 22, 1940, and the United States had just entered that conflict when he returned to Mississippi as her commanding officer on December 19, 1941. Ainsworth promptly took that veteran battleship to the Pacific to strengthen the Navy's surface force in that ocean which had been seriously weakened by the Japanese
surprise attack on Pearl Harbor
.
On July 4, 1942, Ainsworth took administrative command of all Pacific Fleet destroyers. On December 10 of that year, Admiral William F. Halsey
gave him the additional duty of commanding Task Force 67 (TF 67) which had been badly mauled in the recent Battle of Tassafaronga
; and, under his leadership that cruiser-destroyer force was soon winning renown as the "Ainsworth Express" for its fierce fighting in support of the final American drive to push Japanese troops off Guadalcanal
. Its bombardment of the new Japanese air base at Munda
on the island of New Georgia
would be, in the words of naval historian, Samuel Eliot Morison
, "... long regarded as a model...."
Transferred to command of TF 18 and Cruiser Division 9 (CruDiv 9), Ainsworth continued his success during a prolonged series of runs up the long, narrow body of water between the central Solomon Islands
which American bluejackets had nicknamed "the Slot". These operations parried the thrusts by Japanese warships challenging Allied control of the area. At the end of June, the tempo of American fighting in the southwestern Pacific picked up since the Navy had finally managed to assemble enough amphibious shipping in that theatre to resume the offensive. On the night of 4–July 5, TF 18 moved up "the Slot" and bombarded Japanese positions at Vila
on Kolombangara
and at Baiko on New Georgia. The next afternoon, while Ainsworth's force was retiring from this action, word reached him that a large Japanese force was heading toward "the Slot". In an effort to meet and check this new threat, his warships again reversed course and headed toward the enemy. Ainsworth's "... outstanding leadership, brilliant tactics and courageous conduct ..." in the ensuing battle of Kula Gulf
won him a Navy Cross
. He also received the Distinguished Service Medal
for his overall performance in the Southwest Pacific.
About a year later, Ainsworth won the Legion of Merit
Medal by his "... exceptionally meritorious conduct ..." while commanding the fire support group during operations which recaptured Guam. Finally, he received a gold star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit for his display of "... exceptional ability and aggressiveness in handling the organization and administration of the cruiser
s, destroyer
s, destroyer escort
s, and patrol frigates of the Pacific Fleet."
, on August 7, 1960.
USS Ainsworth
(FF-1090) was named in his honor.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. For his role in commanding destroyer and cruiser task forces in the Pacific during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
, and the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
.
Early life and career
Ainsworth was born on November 10, 1886, in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. He entered the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
on June 21, 1906, and graduated on June 3, 1910. Following successive two-year tours at sea in Iowa
USS Iowa (BB-4)
| The second half of the 19th century saw radical changes in shipbuilding design. Wood-built sailing ships with cannons were replaced by steam-powered warships armored with steel...
(BB-4)
and in transport Prairie, he shifted to Florida
USS Florida (BB-30)
-External links:***...
(BB-30) during the spring of 1914, just in time to act as the adjutant of one of the battalions that landed at Veracruz
United States occupation of Veracruz, 1914
The United States occupation of Veracruz, which began with the Battle of Veracruz, lasted for six months and was a response to the Tampico Affair of April 9, 1914...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, on April 21. Upon the successful completion of that operation, he returned to Florida and served in her until sent to DeKalb
USS DeKalb (ID-3010)
USS DeKalb was a German mail ship SS Prinz Eitel Friedrich that served during the early part of the First World War as an auxiliary cruiser in the German Navy and later after the US entry into the war, as US Navy troop ship...
(Id. No. 3010) in May 1917. During the participation of the United States in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served in transports DeKalb and America (Id. No. 3006). During the last months of the conflict, he found himself in Frederick
USS Maryland (ACR-8)
The second USS Maryland , also referred to as "Armored Cruiser 8", and later renamed Frederick, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser....
(ACR-8).
Interwar assignments
In February 1919, the young officer went to Charles Town, West VirginiaCharles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
, for two years as inspector of ordnance at the Navy's Armor and Projectile Plant before returning to sea as executive officer of the transport Hancock
USS Hancock (AP-3)
USS Hancock was a transport ship in the United States Navy. Acquired by the Navy in 1902, she participated in World War I and a number of US military and diplomatic ventures prior to that....
(AP-3). Then, after a brief stint holding the same post in the light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
Birmingham
USS Birmingham (CL-2)
USS Birmingham , named for the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was a laid down by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company at Quincy, Massachusetts on 14 August 1905; launched on 29 May 1907; sponsored by Mrs L...
(CL-2), he commanded the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
Marcus
USS Marcus (DD-321)
USS Marcus was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Arnold Marcus.-History:...
(DD-321) for a year before becoming inspector of ordnance at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. In August 1924, orders sent him to the New York Navy Yard.
By the end of 1925, Ainsworth's growing stature in the field of ordnance
Naval artillery
Naval artillery, or naval riflery, is artillery mounted on a warship for use in naval warfare. Naval artillery has historically been used to engage either other ships, or targets on land; in the latter role it is currently termed naval gunfire fire support...
won him the position of gunnery officer on the staff of the Commander, Destroyer Squadrons, Asiatic Fleet. In July 1927, he took command of Paul Jones
USS Paul Jones (DD-230)
USS Paul Jones was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the third ship named for John Paul Jones....
(DD-230), but left that destroyer late in the summer of 1928 to begin three years at the Naval Academy as an instructor in the Department of Navigation.
At the end of the 1930–31 academic year, Ainsworth returned to sea in Idaho
USS Idaho (BB-42)
USS Idaho , a , was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 43rd state. Her keel was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey...
(BB-42) to serve as that battleship's navigator. Next came a tour in heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
Pensacola
USS Pensacola (CA-24)
USS Pensacola of the United States Navy was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruiser. The third Navy ship to be named after the city of Pensacola, Florida, she was nicknamed the "Grey Ghost" by Tokyo Rose. She received 13 battle stars for her service.She was laid down by the New York Navy Yard...
(CA-24) and one as communication officer for the 14th Naval District before he reported to the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
at Newport, R.I., for the senior course. In June 1936, Ainsworth became the executive officer of Mississippi
USS Mississippi (BB-41)
USS Mississippi , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state, and the second battleship to carry the name. Commissioned in 1917, too late to serve in World War I, she served extensively in the Pacific in World War II, for which she earned eight battle stars...
(BB-41) and, two years later, he became Professor of Naval Science and Tactics at Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
World War II
World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe was almost a year old when he took command of Destroyer Squadron 2 (DesRon 2) on July 22, 1940, and the United States had just entered that conflict when he returned to Mississippi as her commanding officer on December 19, 1941. Ainsworth promptly took that veteran battleship to the Pacific to strengthen the Navy's surface force in that ocean which had been seriously weakened by the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
surprise attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
.
On July 4, 1942, Ainsworth took administrative command of all Pacific Fleet destroyers. On December 10 of that year, Admiral William F. Halsey
William Halsey, Jr.
Fleet Admiral William Frederick Halsey, Jr., United States Navy, , was a U.S. Naval officer. He commanded the South Pacific Area during the early stages of the Pacific War against Japan...
gave him the additional duty of commanding Task Force 67 (TF 67) which had been badly mauled in the recent Battle of Tassafaronga
Battle of Tassafaronga
The Battle of Tassafaronga, sometimes referred to as the Fourth Battle of Savo Island or, in Japanese sources, as the , was a nighttime naval battle that took place November 30, 1942 between United States Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy warships during the Guadalcanal campaign...
; and, under his leadership that cruiser-destroyer force was soon winning renown as the "Ainsworth Express" for its fierce fighting in support of the final American drive to push Japanese troops off Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
. Its bombardment of the new Japanese air base at Munda
Munda (Solomon Islands)
Munda is the largest settlement on the island of New Georgia in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands, and consists of a number of villages...
on the island of New Georgia
New Georgia
New Georgia is the largest island of the Western Province of the Solomon Islands.-Geography:This island is located in the New Georgia Group, an archipelago including most of the other larger islands in the province...
would be, in the words of naval historian, Samuel Eliot Morison
Samuel Eliot Morison
Samuel Eliot Morison, Rear Admiral, United States Naval Reserve was an American historian noted for his works of maritime history that were both authoritative and highly readable. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912, and taught history at the university for 40 years...
, "... long regarded as a model...."
Transferred to command of TF 18 and Cruiser Division 9 (CruDiv 9), Ainsworth continued his success during a prolonged series of runs up the long, narrow body of water between the central Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
which American bluejackets had nicknamed "the Slot". These operations parried the thrusts by Japanese warships challenging Allied control of the area. At the end of June, the tempo of American fighting in the southwestern Pacific picked up since the Navy had finally managed to assemble enough amphibious shipping in that theatre to resume the offensive. On the night of 4–July 5, TF 18 moved up "the Slot" and bombarded Japanese positions at Vila
Vila
Vila is a site at the southern end of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands, originally the location of the Vila Stanmore coconut plantation....
on Kolombangara
Kolombangara
Kolombangara is an island in the New Georgia Islands group of the Solomon Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean...
and at Baiko on New Georgia. The next afternoon, while Ainsworth's force was retiring from this action, word reached him that a large Japanese force was heading toward "the Slot". In an effort to meet and check this new threat, his warships again reversed course and headed toward the enemy. Ainsworth's "... outstanding leadership, brilliant tactics and courageous conduct ..." in the ensuing battle of Kula Gulf
Battle of Kula Gulf
The naval Battle of Kula Gulf took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II and was between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands.-Background:...
won him a Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
. He also received the Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
for his overall performance in the Southwest Pacific.
About a year later, Ainsworth won the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
Medal by his "... exceptionally meritorious conduct ..." while commanding the fire support group during operations which recaptured Guam. Finally, he received a gold star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit for his display of "... exceptional ability and aggressiveness in handling the organization and administration of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s, destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
s, and patrol frigates of the Pacific Fleet."
Post-war life
After returning to the United States in the summer of 1945, Vice Admiral Ainsworth commanded the Fifth Naval District until retiring on December 1, 1948. He died in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on August 7, 1960.
Namesake
In 1972, the fast frigateKnox class frigate
Knox class frigates were United States Navy warships, originally laid down as ocean escorts , but were all redesignated as frigates on 30 June 1975 in the USN 1975 ship reclassification and their hull designation changed from DE to FF.A sub-class of the Knox class was built, commonly referred to as...
USS Ainsworth
USS Ainsworth (FF-1090)
USS Ainsworth was a Knox-class frigate named for Vice Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth . Ainsworth was laid down at Westwego, La., on 11 June 1971 by Avondale Shipyards, Inc.; launched on 15 April 1972; sponsored by Mrs...
(FF-1090) was named in his honor.
Further reading
- Papers of Vice Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth, USN (1936-1951), Naval Historical CenterNaval Historical CenterThe Naval History & Heritage Command is the official history program of the United States Navy and is located at the historic Washington Navy Yard in the District of Columbia.-Mission :...
.