Elmo Russell "Bud" Zumwalt Jr. (November 29, 1920 – January 2, 2000) was a
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
officer and the youngest person to serve as
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
. As an
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
and later the 19th Chief of Naval Operations, Zumwalt played a major role in United States military history, especially during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. A decorated war veteran, Zumwalt reformed United States Navy personnel policies in an effort to improve enlisted life and ease racial tensions. After he retired from a 32-year navy career, he launched an
unsuccessful campaign for the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
.
Early life and education
Zumwalt was born in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, the son of Elmo Russell Zumwalt, and his wife, Frances Pearl (née Frank) Zumwalt, both country doctors. Frances was raised
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, the daughter of Julius and Sarah Frank of
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Chittenden County. It is located south of the Canada–United States border and south of Montreal. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 44,743. It ...
. His family moved to
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, where he grew up. She became estranged from her parents for marrying outside the faith, as the Zumwalts were Christians.
Zumwalt, an
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle S ...
and recipient of the
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA) is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It is awarded to an Eagle Scout for distinguished service in his profession and to his community for a period of at least 25 years aft ...
from the
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...
, attended
Tulare Union High School
Tulare Union High School () is a public school for secondary education in Tulare, Tulare County, California, United States. This high school is part of the Tulare Joint Union High School District, along with Tulare Western High School and Missio ...
in
Tulare, California
Tulare ( ) is a city in Tulare County, California. The population was 68,875 at the 2020 census. It is located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, eight miles south of Visalia and sixty miles north of Bakersfield. The city is named for t ...
, where he became the
valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution.
The valedictorian is commonly determined by a numerical formula, generally an academic institution's grade point average (GPA ...
, and
Rutherford Preparatory School Rutherford may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rutherford, New South Wales, a suburb of Maitland
* Rutherford (Parish), New South Wales, a civil parish of Yungnulgra County
Canada
* Mount Rutherford, Jasper National Park
* Rutherford, Edmont ...
in
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporate ...
.
Naval career
Naval Academy and World War II
Zumwalt had planned to become a doctor like his parents, but in 1939, he was accepted to the
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...
(USNA) at
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
. As a
midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...
at the USNA, he was president of the Trident Society, vice president of the Quarterdeck Society and the two-time winner of the June Week Public Speaking Contest (1940–41). Zumwalt also participated in intercollegiate debating and was a Company Commander (1941) and Regimental Three Striper (1942). He graduated with distinction and was
commissioned as an
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
on June 19, 1942. He also received an honorary degree from
Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
University.
Zumwalt was assigned to , a destroyer. In August 1943, ''Phelps'' was detached for instruction in the Operational Training Command-Pacific in San Francisco. In January 1944, Zumwalt reported for duty on board . On this ship, he was awarded the
Bronze Star Medal with
Valor device
Valor, valour, or valorous may mean:
* Courage, a similar meaning
* Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause"
Entertainment
* Valor (band), a Christian gospel music group
* Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death
* ...
for "heroic service as Evaluator in the Combat Information Center ... in action against enemy Japanese battleships during the
Battle for Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf ( fil, Labanan sa golpo ng Leyte, lit=Battle of Leyte gulf; ) was the largest naval battle of World War II and by some criteria the largest naval battle in history, with over 200,000 naval personnel involved. It was fo ...
, October 25, 1944".
After the end of World War II in August 1945, Zumwalt continued to serve until December 8, 1945, as the
prize crew
A prize crew is the selected members of a ship chosen to take over the operations of a captured ship. Prize crews were required to take their prize to appropriate prize courts, which would determine whether the ship's officers and crew had suffici ...
officer of the
''Ataka'', a 1,200-ton Japanese river
gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-ste ...
with a crew of 200. In this capacity, he took the first American-controlled ship since the outbreak of World War II up the
Huangpu River
The Huangpu (), formerly romanized as Whangpoo, is a river flowing north through Shanghai. The Bund and Lujiazui are located along the Huangpu River.
The Huangpu is the biggest river in central Shanghai, with the Suzhou Creek being its maj ...
to
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
, China. There, they helped to restore order and assisted in disarming the Japanese.
Command assignments
Zumwalt next served as
executive officer of the destroyer , and in March 1946, was transferred to the destroyer , as executive officer and navigator.
In January 1948, Zumwalt was assigned to the
Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps unit of the
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...
, where he remained until June 1950. That same month, he assumed command of , a destroyer escort that was commissioned in a reserve status. The ''Tills'' was placed in full active commission at
Charleston Naval Shipyard
Charleston Naval Shipyard (formerly known as the Charleston Navy Yard) was a U.S. Navy ship building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River, in North Charleston, South Carolina and part of Naval Base Charleston.
H ...
on November 21, 1950, and he continued to command her until March 1951, when he joined the battleship as navigator and served with the ship in operations in Korea.
Detached from USS ''Wisconsin'' in June 1952, he attended the
Naval War College
The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...
,
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
, and in June 1953, he reported as head of the Shore and Overseas Bases Section,
Bureau of Naval Personnel, Navy Department,
Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
. He also served as officer and enlisted requirements officer, and as action officer on Medicare legislation. Completing that tour of duty in July 1955, he assumed command of the destroyer , participating in two deployments with the
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of ...
. In this assignment, he was commended by the Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Forces,
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor ...
, for winning the Battle Efficiency Competition for his ship and for winning Excellence Awards in Engineering, Gunnery, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Operations. In July 1957, he returned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel for further duty. In December 1957, he was transferred to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Personnel and Reserve Forces), and served as special assistant for naval personnel until November 1958, then as special assistant and naval aide until August 1959.
Ordered to the first ship built from the keel up as a
guided missile frigate, , built at the
Bath (Maine) Iron Works, he assumed command of that frigate at her commissioning in December 1959, and commanded it until June 1961. During the period of his command, ''Dewey'' earned the Excellence Award in Engineering, Supply, Weapons, and was runner-up in the Battle Efficiency Competition. He was a student at the
National War College, Washington, DC, during the 1961–1962 class year. In June 1962, he was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs), Washington, DC, where he served first as desk officer for France, Spain, and Portugal, then as director of arms control and contingency planning for Cuba. From December 1963 until June 21, 1965, he served as executive assistant and senior aide to the Honorable
Paul H. Nitze,
Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
. For duty in his tour in the offices of the
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, he was awarded the
Legion of Merit.
Flag assignments
Vietnam
After his selection for the rank of
rear admiral, Zumwalt assumed command of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven on 24 July 1965 in San Diego. He then served as Director, Systems Analysis Division, OPNAV (OP-96) from August 1966 to August 1968. In September 1968, he became Commander
Naval Forces Vietnam and Chief of the Naval Advisory Group, United States
Military Assistance Command Vietnam
U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was a joint-service command of the United States Department of Defense.
MACV was created on 8 February 1962, in response to the increase in United States military assistance to South Vietnam. MACV ...
(MACV) and was promoted to vice admiral in October 1968. Zumwalt was the Navy adviser to General
Creighton Abrams
Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. (September 15, 1914 – September 4, 1974) was a United States Army general who commanded military operations in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972, which saw United States troop strength in South Vietnam reduced ...
, Commander, MACV. Zumwalt always spoke very highly of Abrams, and said that Abrams was the most caring officer he had ever known.
Zumwalt's command was not a
blue-water force, like the Seventh Fleet; it was a
brown-water unit: he commanded the flotilla of
Swift Boats that patrolled the coasts, harbors, and rivers of Vietnam. Among the swift-boat commanders were his son Elmo Russell Zumwalt III and later future Senator and Secretary of State
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...
. Among his other forces were
Task Force 115, the Coastal Surveillance Force, Task Force 116, the River Patrol Force and Task Force 117, the joint Army-Navy
Mobile Riverine Force
In the Vietnam War, the Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) (after May 1967), initially designated Mekong Delta Mobile Afloat Force, and later the Riverines, were a joint US Army and US Navy force that comprised a substantial part of the brown-water n ...
.
Chief of Naval Operations
President
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
nominated Zumwalt to be
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
in April 1970. Upon being relieved as Commander Naval Forces Vietnam on May 15, 1970, he was awarded a second
Navy Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service.
Zumwalt assumed duties as Chief of Naval Operations and was promoted to full admiral on July 1, 1970, and quickly began a series of moves intended to reduce racism and sexism in the Navy. These were disseminated in Navy-wide communications known as "Z-grams". These included orders authorizing beards (sideburns, mustaches, and longer groomed hair were also acceptable) and introducing beer-dispensing machines to barracks.
Zumwalt instituted the 'Mod Squad'—
Destroyer Squadron 26
Destroyer Squadron 26 (DESRON-26) is a destroyer squadron of the United States Navy. It was first created in 1950. It has seen action in the Korean War, service in the Atlantic, in the Vietnam War. From 1974 for a period it became the 'Mod Squad', ...
and later 31—to give promising young officers early command experience. Billets were a rank lower than normal.
Zumwalt reshaped the Navy's effort to replace large numbers of aging World War II-era vessels, a plan called "High-Low". Instituted over the resistance of Admiral
Hyman Rickover
Hyman G. Rickover (January 27, 1900 – July 8, 1986) was an admiral in the U.S. Navy. He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of the U.S. Naval Reactors off ...
and others, High-Low sought to balance the purchase of high-end, nuclear-powered vessels with low-end, cheaper ones—such as the
Sea Control Ship
The Sea Control Ship (SCS) was a small aircraft carrier developed and conceptualized by the United States Navy under Chief of Naval Operations Elmo Zumwalt during the 1970s. Currently the term refers to naval vessels that can perform similar d ...
—that could be bought in greater numbers. Rickover, the 'Father of the Nuclear Navy', preferred buying a few major ships to buying many ordinary ones. Zumwalt proposed four kinds of warships to fit the plan; in the end, only the of missile patrol boats and the of
guided missile frigates became reality, and only six of the planned 100+ ''Pegasus''-class
hydrofoils were built. The ''Oliver Hazard Perry'' class stood as the most numerous class of United States' warships since World War II until the advent of the s. Zumwalt was the last Chief of Naval Operations to live at
Number One Observatory Circle
Number One Observatory Circle is the official residence of the vice president of the United States. Located on the northeast grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., the house was built in 1893 for the observatory superintenden ...
before it became the official residence of the
vice president
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...
. For Zumwalt, not pleased with the choice, this was reason enough to challenge Virginia Senator
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
Harry Flood Byrd Jr. (December 20, 1914 – July 30, 2013) was an American orchardist, newspaper publisher and politician. He served in the Senate of Virginia and then represented Virginia in the United States Senate, succeeding his father, Harr ...
in the 1976 Senate election in Virginia.
Elmo Zumwalt Jr. retired from the Navy on July 1, 1974, aged 53.
List of Z-grams
"Z-gram" was the semi-official title for policy directives issued by Elmo Zumwalt as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Many of these directives were efforts to reform outdated policies potentially contributing to difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified naval personnel during the period of United States withdrawal from the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
.
*Z-gram 1 (1 July 1970): Zumwalt's remarks upon taking office as CNO.
*Z-gram 2 (14 July 1970): convened a junior officer retention study group.
*Z-gram 3 (22 July 1970): Cryptographic procedures and Policy.
*Z-gram 4 (30 July 1970): authorized 30 days leave for officers with orders for a permanent change of station (PCS).
*Z-gram 5 (30 July 1970): instituted a test program aboard six ships to extend to
1st class petty officers the privilege of officers and
chief petty officers (CPOs) to keep civilian clothing aboard ship for wearing on
liberty
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
.
*Z-gram 6 (11 August 1970): instituted a test program, funded entirely by deployed personnel to assist their families obtaining transportation and lodging to visit them in an overseas liberty port during holiday periods.
*Z-gram 7 (11 August 1970): directed commanding officers to assign sponsors for newly arriving personnel. The sponsors were normally of the same rank or rate and with similar marital and family status to assist the arriving family establishing themselves in the new location.
*Z-gram 8 (11 August 1970): extended the working hours of personnel writing officers' orders from 16:30 to 21:00 so those personnel would be available to answer telephone questions after duty hours of officers expecting orders.
*Z-gram 9 (14 August 1970): provided an alternative means of promotion to 1st class and CPO for highly motivated individuals who had five times failed the normal promotion examinations.
*Z-gram 10 (20 August 1970): required
naval air stations to have an officer or CPO meet each arriving transient aircraft to coordinate aircraft servicing and assist flight crew with dining and temporary lodging.
*Z-gram 11 (24 August 1970): authorized continuing sea duty for enlisted men requesting it.
*Z-gram 12 (24 August 1970): authorized wearing of civilian clothes on shore bases during and after the evening meal by all enlisted personnel except recruits in basic training.
*Z-gram 13 (26 August 1970): directed commanding officers to grant 30 days of leave to at least half of their crew during the first 30 days following return from overseas deployment.
*Z-gram 14 (27 August 1970): abolished 18 collateral duties traditionally assigned to junior officers (including cigarette fund officer and cold weather officer) and encouraged assignment of another 18 collateral duties (including movie officer and athletics officer) to qualified senior petty officers.
*Z-gram 15 (28 August 1970): ordered all disbursing officers to provide all personnel with a statement of earnings prior to 30 October 1970 itemizing basic pay and allowances for clothing, quarters, sea duty, and hostile fire with taxes, deductions and allotments.
*Z-gram 16 (2 September 1970): established a computer database to assist enlisted personnel desiring a duty swap with a similarly qualified sailor on another ship or home port.
*Z-gram 17 (2 September 1970): raised the check-cashing limit at naval bases from $25 to $50.
*Z-gram 18 (4 September 1970): opened the Navy Finance Center around the clock to all disbursing officers processing urgent inquiries about pay and benefits.
*Z-gram 19 (4 September 1970): implemented an
executive order
In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of t ...
from President Nixon to authorize an increased percentage of early promotions for officers.
*Z-gram 20 (8 September 1970): required all shore bases to provide washing facilities and lockers for enlisted personnel assigned dirty work in dungarees.
*Z-gram 21 (9 September 1970): encouraged commanding officers to provide compensatory time off for personnel standing watch on holidays.
*Z-gram 22 (9 September 1970): authorized shore bases to organize facility improvement teams for welfare, living and parking facilities.
*Z-gram 23 (12 September 1970): established the CPO advisory board to the CNO.
*Z-gram 24 (14 September 1970): established procedures for Navy wives to present complaints, viewpoints and suggestions to commanding officers of shore bases.
*Z-gram 25 (16 September 1970): authorized ships in port to reduce watch standing rotation from one day in four to one day in six.
*Z-gram 26 (21 September 1970): shifted responsibility for shore patrol staffing from shipboard to shore-based personnel at major naval bases.
*Z-gram 27 (21 September 1970): eliminated routine local operations over a weekend by ships sailing from their home port.
*Z-gram 28 (21 September 1970): was a status report on implementation of recommendations by retention study groups.
*Z-gram 29 (22 September 1970): encouraged commanding officers to allow leave for 5% of their crew during overseas deployments.
*Z-gram 30 (23 September 1970): established "hard-rock" officers' clubs for junior officers at five naval bases and encouraged other naval base officers' clubs to allow at least one room for casual dress, encourage unescorted young ladies to visit the clubs, and appoint younger officers to advise club managers about other measures to improve morale of junior officers.
*Z-gram 31 (23 September 1970): established a junior officer ship-handling competition whose winners would be able to pick their next duty assignment.
*Z-gram 32 (23 September 1970): allowed sailors to arrange their own re-enlistment ceremonies with assistance from their command.
*Z-gram 33 (25 September 1970): established a procedure to improve customer relations at naval
Base Exchange
An exchange is a type of retail store found on United States military installations worldwide. Originally akin to trading posts, they now resemble contemporary department stores or strip malls. Exact terminology varies by armed service; some examp ...
s.
*Z-gram 34 (25 September 1970): eliminated the requirement for junior officers to own formal dinner dress uniforms.
*Z-gram 35 (25 September 1970): authorized alcoholic beverages in barracks and beer vending machines in senior enlisted barracks.
*Z-gram 36 (26 September 1970): encouraged commanding officers to improve the customer service ethic at base
dispensaries
A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in some cases even medical and dental treatment. In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist dispense ...
and disbursing facilities.
*Z-gram 37 (26 September 1970): reduced the rank required for command of aviation squadrons from
commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
to
lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
.
*Z-gram 38 (28 September 1970): instructed commanding officers to eliminate scheduling of work routine on Sundays and holidays unless ship is deployed overseas.
*Z-gram 39 (5 October 1970): extended the operating hours of 25 large base commissaries to reduce crowds on Saturday mornings and paydays.
*Z-gram 40 (7 October 1970): gave sailors the option of being paid either in cash or by check.
*Z-gram 41 (21 October 1970): established a Command Excellence chair at the
Naval War College
The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...
to be filled by a commander or captain with a record of outstanding performance in command.
*Z-gram 42 (13 October 1970): allowed junior officers to request sea duty as their first choice for initial duty assignment.
*Z-gram 43 (13 October 1970): encouraged commanding officers to help disbursing officers speedily process large travel reimbursement claims.
*Z-gram 44 (13 October 1970): encouraged assignment of senior petty officers to stand in-port
officer of the deck watches to reduce junior officer workload.
*Z-gram 45 (15 October 1970): encouraged commanding officers to increase support services to families of
prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
.
*Z-gram 46 (15 October 1970): reduced routine paperwork required for the 3M planned maintenance system inspections and documentation.
*Z-gram 47 (20 October 1970): increased responsibilities of department heads and executive officers of ships being deactivated.
*Z-gram 48 (23 October 1970): established a new
Bureau of Naval Personnel office focused on providing information to dependent families of active duty personnel.
*Z-gram 49 (23 October 1970): required half of personnel on awards boards to be below the rank of commander.
*Z-gram 50 (23 October 1970): encouraged ships returning from overseas deployments to use shore based utilities to allow leave for increased numbers of engineering personnel.
*Z-gram 51 (23 October 1970): established a uniform breast insignia for officers in charge of
brown-water navy
The term brown-water navy or riverine navy refers in its broadest sense to any naval force capable of military operations in littoral zone waters. The term originated in the United States Navy during the American Civil War, when it referred t ...
boats.
*Z-gram 52 (23 October 1970): Dissemination of CNO policy.
*Z-gram 53 (2 November 1970): authorized annual publication of a list of job assignments available to junior officers, emphasizing geographical locations and required qualifications for career planning.
*Z-gram 54 (2 November 1970): outlined procedures for junior personnel to make suggestions to CNO.
*Z-gram 55 (4 November 1970): established pilot program for improving Navy human resources management.
*Z-gram 56 (9 November 1970): established a program similar to Z-16 for officers desiring a duty swap with a similarly qualified officer on another ship or home port.
*Z-gram 57 (10 November 1970): eliminated a broad spectrum of selectively enforced regulations and specified relaxed interpretations of others related to grooming standards and wearing of uniforms, so the vast majority of sailors would not be penalized by policies designed to constrain a few abusing the trust and confidence of less stringent rules.
*Z-gram 58 (14 November 1970): required ships' stores afloat to accept checks in payment for purchases.
*Z-gram 59 (14 November 1970): established a program for officers to spend a year of independent research and study for professional development in areas mutually beneficial to the officer and the Navy.
*Z-gram 60 (18 November 1970): encouraged all major naval installations to install a recording answering device on one telephone to receive suggestions.
*Z-gram 61 (19 November 1970): Authorized warrant officers and senior petty officers afloat to serve as communications watch officers and registered publications custodians.
*Z-gram 62 (27 November 1970): established a Naval War College forum to discuss improved naval personnel policies and present their views to CNO and
Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
.
*Z-gram 63 (30 November 1970): reduced by 25% the number of publications to be maintained by ships.
*Z-gram 64 (3 December 1970): encouraged commanding officers to increase the opportunities for junior officers to practice ship handling.
*Z-gram 65 (5 December 1970): listed incentives for officers to volunteer for duty in Vietnam.
*Z-gram 66 (17 December 1970): directed every navy facility to appoint a minority group officer or senior petty officer as a minority affairs assistant to the commanding officer.
*Z-gram 67 (22 December 1970): streamlined required inspection procedures to reduce the amount of time required for preparation and execution.
*Z-gram 68 (23 December 1970): expanded the civilian clothing privilege explored in Z-gram 5 to all petty officers on all ships.
*Z-gram 69 (28 December 1970): eliminated command of a deep draft ship from the requirements for promotion to admiral.
*Z-gram 70 (21 January 1971): clarified grooming standards and working uniform regulations addressed by Z-gram 57 to reflect contemporary hair styles and allow wearing working uniforms while commuting between the base and off-base housing.
Later years
After he retired, Zumwalt wrote ''
On Watch: a Memoir,'' published by Quadrangle Books in 1976. It reviews his Navy career and includes reprints of all the Z-grams he issued as CNO.
Also in
1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
, Zumwalt unsuccessfully ran as a
Democratic candidate for the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
from
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, and was defeated by incumbent independent senator
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
Harry Flood Byrd Jr. (December 20, 1914 – July 30, 2013) was an American orchardist, newspaper publisher and politician. He served in the Senate of Virginia and then represented Virginia in the United States Senate, succeeding his father, Harr ...
by a 57% to 38% result. Later, he held the presidency of the
American Medical Building Corporation in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
.
While serving in Shanghai in 1945, Zumwalt met and married Mouza Coutelais-du-Roche, whose French-Russian family was living there. She returned with him to the United States. They had four children: Elmo Russell Zumwalt III; James Gregory Zumwalt; Ann F. Zumwalt Coppola; and Mouzetta C. Zumwalt-Weathers.
Zumwalt's eldest son, Elmo Zumwalt III, served as
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
on one of Zumwalt's patrol boats during the Vietnam War. In January 1983, he was diagnosed with
lymphoma
Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). In current usage the name usually refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enla ...
, and in 1985 it was discovered that he also had
Hodgkin's disease.
In addition, his grandson Elmo Russell Zumwalt IV had been born in 1977 with learning disabilities. Admiral Zumwalt and his family were convinced that both son and grandson were victims of
Agent Orange, which the admiral had ordered to be sprayed over the Mekong Delta to kill vegetation and drive "the Viet Cong back 1,000 yards off the water's edge".
[
In an article published in '']The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' in 1986, Elmo Zumwalt III said:
Admiral Zumwalt and his son collaborated with writer John Pekkanen
John Pekkanen (born February 11, 1939, in Lyme, Connecticut) is an author, and two-time National Magazine Award-winning American journalist and the winner of ten other national journalism awards including the National Headliner Award, the Penn ...
to create the book ''My Father, My Son'', published by MacMillan in September 1986, where they discussed the family tragedy of his son's battle with cancer. In 1988, the book was made into a TV movie with the same name, starring Karl Malden
Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich; March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009) was an American actor. He was primarily a character actor, who according to Robert Berkvist, "for more than 60 years brought an intelligent intensity and a homespun aut ...
as the admiral and Keith Carradine
Keith Ian Carradine ( ; born August 8, 1949) is an American actor who has had success on stage, film, and television. He is known for his roles as Tom Frank in Robert Altman's film ''Nashville'', Wild Bill Hickok in the HBO series '' Deadwood ...
as his son.[IMDb: ''My Father, My Son (1988)'']
Linked 2014-09-07 Elmo Zumwalt III died from his cancer on August 14, 1988, at the age of 42,[ three months after the TV movie was shown.][
During his son's illness in the early 1980s, Admiral Zumwalt was very active in lobbying Congress to establish a national registry of bone marrow donors. Such donors serve patients who do not have suitably matched bone marrow donors in their families. Though his son ultimately was able to receive a transplant from his own sister, many patients don't have close relatives who are able and willing to help in this way. As such, his efforts were a major factor in the founding of the ]National Marrow Donor Program
The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that operates the Be The Match Registry of volunteer hematopoietic cell donors and umbilical cord blood units in the United ...
(NMDP) in July 1986. Admiral Zumwalt was the first chairman of the NMDP's board of directors.
In his later years, Zumwalt resided in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a County (United States), county in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the Washington, D.C., District of Co ...
.
Death and legacy
Zumwalt died on January 2, 2000, aged 79, at the Duke University Medical Center
Duke University Hospital is a 957-acute care bed academic tertiary care facility located in Durham, North Carolina. Established in 1930, it is the flagship teaching hospital for the Duke University Health System, a network of physicians and hos ...
in Durham, North Carolina
Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...
from mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs (known as the mesothelium). The most common area affected is the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Less commonly the lining ...
. His funeral service was held at the Naval Academy Chapel
The United States Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland, is one of two houses of worship on the grounds of the Navy's service academy. Protestant and Catholic services are held there. The Naval Academy Chapel is a focal point of the Acad ...
. In his eulogy President Bill Clinton called Zumwalt "the conscience of the United States Navy".
The United States Navy's DD(X)
The ''Zumwalt''-class destroyer is a class of three United States Navy guided-missile destroyers designed as multi-mission stealth ships with a focus on land attack. It is a multi-role class that was designed with a primary role of naval gunfire ...
guided missile destroyer
A guided-missile destroyer (DDG) is a destroyer whose primary armament is guided missiles so they can provide anti-aircraft warfare screening for the fleet. The NATO standard designation for these vessels is DDG, while destroyers who have a prim ...
program has been named the Zumwalt class in his honor, and its lead ship, , bears his name by Navy tradition.
In 2013, the Mesothelioma Center for Excellence at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center
The West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center is among a network of housing, shelter, utilities, food preparation facilities and a hospital mandated to permanently serve Veterans at the West Los Angeles VA Soldiers Home. The approximately 4 ...
was renamed the Elmo Zumwalt Treatment & Research Center. It specializes in mesothelioma research, particularly for veterans who may have been exposed to asbestos during their service.
Dates of rank
: United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...
– Class of 1943, which graduated on 19 June 1942 due to wartime necessity.
Assignments
# August 1942 – November 1943, watch officer,
# November 1943 – December 1943, student, Operational Training Command Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.
# January 1944 – October 1945, watch officer,
# October 1945 – March 1946, executive officer,
# March 1946 – January 1948, executive officer,
# January 1948 – June 1950, assistant professor of naval sciences, NROTC Unit, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
# June 1950 – March 1951, commanding officer,
# March 1951 – June 1952, navigator,
# June 1952 – June 1953, student, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
# June 1953 – July 1955, Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D.C.
# July 1955 – July 1957, commanding officer,
# July 1957 – December 1957: lieutenant detailer, Bureau of Naval Personnel
# December 1957 – August 1959, special assistant, executive assistant, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Personnel and Reserve Forces
# August 1959 – June 1961, prospective commanding officer, commanding officer,
# August 1961 – June 1962, student, National War College, Washington, D.C.
# June 1962 – December 1963, desk officer, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs)
# December 1963 – June 1965, executive assistant, Office of the Secretary of the Navy
# July 1965 – July 1966, Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven
# August 1966 – August 1968 Director, Systems Analysis Division, Office of the CNO
# September 1968 – May 1970, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Vietnam and Chief, Naval Advisory Group Vietnam, Saigon, South Vietnam
# July 1970 – June 1974, Chief of Naval Operations, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
Awards and decorations
U.S. military awards and decorations
U.S. civilian awards
Foreign awards
Foreign unit awards
Boy Scouts of America awards
Miscellaneous
* Zumwalt's picture hangs in the War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum ( vi, Bảo tàng chứng tích chiến tranh) is a war museum at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. It contains exhibits relating to the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War.
History
Op ...
in Ho Chi Minh City, near pictures of John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...
, Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He remains the ...
, Warren Christopher
Warren Minor Christopher (October 27, 1925March 18, 2011) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician. During Bill Clinton's first term as president, he served as the 63rd United States Secretary of State.
Born in Scranton, North Dakota, ...
, and other American dignitaries, in commemoration of a visit he made after normalization of relations between Vietnam and the United States.
* In his first book, ''On Watch'', Zumwalt quoted at length an interview with Admiral Hyman Rickover, regarded as the Father of the Nuclear Navy
Hyman G. Rickover (January 27, 1900 – July 8, 1986) was an admiral in the U.S. Navy. He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of the U.S. Naval Reactors offi ...
and who interviewed all officers with responsibilities involving nuclear propulsion. Rickover and Zumwalt had a combative conversation, with Zumwalt referring to it as a humbling experience.
* Zumwalt was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Phi Epsilon (), commonly known as SigEp, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College (now the University of Richmond), and its national headquarte ...
fraternity. He was initiated in 1980.
* In 1994 the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation awarded Zumwalt its Lone Sailor Award for his distinguished naval career.
* In 1972, Zumwalt became an honorary member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences
The Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Örlogsmannasällskapet, KÖMS), founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden. The Society is an independent organization and a forum for navy and defence i ...
See also
References
Further reading
* ''My Father, My Son'' by Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. and Elmo R. Zumwalt III, with John Pekkanen
John Pekkanen (born February 11, 1939, in Lyme, Connecticut) is an author, and two-time National Magazine Award-winning American journalist and the winner of ten other national journalism awards including the National Headliner Award, the Penn ...
. (Dell Publishing Company, )
* ''On Watch: a memoir'' by Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. (The New York Times Book Co., )
* ''Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., Texas Tech University Series'
Texas Tech University's Virtual Vietnam archive
External links
*
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080622151735/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944519-1,00.html 1972 Time magazine article on resistance to Zumwalt's policies, "Keelhauling the Navy"
Zumwalt, ADM Elmo R. Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Zumwalt Staff Officers, Volume I
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zumwalt, Elmo
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3 Elmo Zumwalt
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