Francis S. Low
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Francis Stuart Low
CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(August 15, 1894 – January 22, 1964) was a decorated officer of the
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 ...
with the rank of four-star
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, ...
. An expert in
submarine warfare Submarine warfare is one of the four divisions of underwater warfare, the others being anti-submarine warfare, mine warfare and mine countermeasures. Submarine warfare consists primarily of diesel and nuclear submarines using torpedoes, missi ...
, Low is credited with the idea that twin-engined Army bombers could be launched from an aircraft carrier. This idea was later adopted for the planning of the
Doolittle Raid The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japan ...
. Low distinguished himself as Chief of Staff, U.S. Tenth Fleet during the U-boat campaign in the Atlantic Ocean and completed his career in 1956 as Commander,
Western Sea Frontier Sea Frontiers were several, now disestablished, commands of the United States Navy as areas of defense against enemy vessels, especially submarines, along the U.S. coasts. They existed from 1 July 1941 until in some cases the 1970s. Sea Frontiers ...
, and Commander Pacific Reserve Fleet.


Early career

Francis S. Low was born on August 15, 1894, in
Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...
, as the son of late Commander William Franklin Low, USN, and Mrs. Anna (Stuart) Low. His family later moved to
Newton, Massachusetts Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately west of downtown Boston. Newton resembles a patchwork of thirteen villages, without a city center. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Ne ...
, and young Francis attended high school there. He subsequently received an appointment 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 ...
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 ...
, in summer of 1911. While at the Academy, Low was active in the swimming team and held record in 220-Yard swimming. He was nicknamed "Frog" by his classmates and graduated with
Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in June 1915. Some of his classmates also became distinguished general officers later:
Arthur C. Davis Arthur Cayley Davis (14 March 1893 – 10 February 1965) was an admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II and the Cold War. He was a pioneer of dive bombing. Naval career Davis was born on 14 March 1893 in C ...
,
Lynde D. McCormick Lynde Dupuy McCormick (August 12, 1895 – August 16, 1956) was a List of United States Navy four-star admirals, four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations, vice chief of naval operations from 195 ...
,
Arthur D. Struble Arthur Dewey Struble (June 28, 1894 – May 1, 1983) was a United States admiral who served in World War II and the Korean War. Biography Struble was born in Portland, Oregon. Following graduation from high school in Portland, he entered the ...
,
Ralph W. Christie Ralph Waldo Christie (30 August 1893 – 19 December 1987) was an admiral in the United States Navy who played a pivotal role in the development of torpedo technologies. During World War II, he commanded submarine operations out of the Australian ...
, John L. McCrea,
Ralph J. Mitchell Ralph Johnson Mitchell (September 25, 1891 – May 31, 1970) was a decorated aviation officer of the United States. He is most noted for his service as Director of Aviation during the years 1939–1943 and commanding officer of the 1st Marine A ...
,
Harvey Overesch Harvey Edward Overesch (January 20, 1893 – January 20, 1973) was a Vice admiral in the U.S. Navy and American football player. A native of Lafayette, Indiana, Overesch attended Purdue University for two years before enrolling as a midshipma ...
,
Pedro del Valle Pedro Augusto del Valle (August 28, 1893 – April 28, 1978) was a United States Marine Corps officer who became the first Hispanic to reach the rank of Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general. His military career included service ...
,
Howard L. Vickery Howard Leroy Vickery (April 20, 1892 – March 21, 1946) was a decorated U.S. naval officer with the rank of Vice admiral. He was renowned merchant shipbuilder and served as Vice Chairman, U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II. Early li ...
,
Richard W. Bates Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...
,
Henry P. Burnett Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) *Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
,
Archie F. Howard Archie Franklin Howard (January 29, 1892 – June 24, 1964) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general who is most noted as commanding general, 6th Marine Division during the Chinese Civil War. He al ...
, DeWitt Peck,
Oliver H. Ritchie Oliver may refer to: Arts, entertainment and literature Books * ''Oliver the Western Engine'', volume 24 in ''The Railway Series'' by Rev. W. Awdry * ''Oliver Twist'', a novel by Charles Dickens Fictional characters * Ariadne Oliver, ...
,
James M. Shoemaker James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...
,
Scott Umsted Scott may refer to: Places Canada * Scott, Quebec, municipality in the Nouvelle-Beauce regional municipality in Quebec * Scott, Saskatchewan, a town in the Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380 * Rural Municipality of Scott No. 98, Saska ...
and
Raymond R. Wright Raymond Richard Wright (December 5, 1945 – September 24, 1999) was a United States Army soldier from New York and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Bio ...
. Low was commissioned
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 ...
at the time of his graduation and attached to the battleship and later was transferred to the heavy cruiser . While aboard that ship, he participated in the Veracruz Expedition and Haitian Campaign. Following his first sea duties, he was then attached to the submarine and began training as submariner at
Naval Submarine Base New London Naval Submarine Base New London is the primary United States Navy East Coast submarine base, also known as the "Home of the Submarine Force." It is located in Groton, Connecticut directly across the Thames River from its namesake city of New Lon ...
,
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. After six months of training, Low was attached to the under the command of lieutenant j.g. Robert H. English and participated as his deputy in the coastal patrols and protection of the Atlantic coast from U-boats. She departed Newport November 2, 1918, for European waters, but the termination of hostilities brought the submarine back to the United States.


Interwar period

Following the end of the War, Low was appointed commanding officer of and led her during the training cruises off the coast of
Hampton Roads Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...
,
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 ...
. He was transferred to the command of at the end of January 1920 and took part in the submarine experiments with torpedo and undersea detection techniques along the Atlantic coast. Low assumed command of newly commissioned at the end of April 1923 and sailed to Guantanamo,
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
and then via the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
to
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. He departed ''S-12'' in summer of 1925 in order to attend the junior course 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 ...
at
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, ...
. Following his graduation one year later, Low was appointed an instructor in the Department of Seamanship at the
Naval Academy A naval academy provides education for prospective naval officers. See also * Military academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally pro ...
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 ...
. He was then attached to the battleship and participated in the training exercises in the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. He was appointed officer in charge of the Recruiters' Training School, Naval Station, Hampton Roads, Virginia in 1929 and served in this capacity until the summer of 1932. Low was then attached to the Staff, Submarine Squadron 5 for a brief period and subsequently assumed command of destroyer in June 1932. He commanded that ship during the
Yangtze River Patrol The Yangtze Patrol, also known as the Yangtze River Patrol Force, Yangtze River Patrol, YangPat and ComYangPat, was a prolonged naval operation from 1854–1949 to protect American interests in the Yangtze River's treaty ports. The Yangtze P ...
and then took part in the patrol along the China coast, while making occasional voyages to and from
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
. Low returned to the United States in March 1934 and assumed duty in the
Bureau of Navigation The Bureau of Navigation, later the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection and finally the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation — not to be confused with the United States Navys Bureau of Navigation — was an agency of the United ...
, before he was later transferred to the
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific duti ...
under Admiral
William H. Standley William Harrison Standley (18 December 1872 – 25 October 1963) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy, who served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1933 to 1937. He also served as the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet ...
. He returned to the sea in summer of 1937, when he was appointed Commander of Submarine Squadron 13 and held this command the
Neutrality Patrol On September 3, 1939, the British and French declarations of war on Germany initiated the Battle of the Atlantic. The United States Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) established a combined air and ship patrol of the United States Atlantic coa ...
in 1939.


World War II

Low returned to
Washington, D.C. ) , 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, ...
in December 1940 and served again in the
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific duti ...
under Admiral
Harold R. Stark Harold Rainsford Stark (November 12, 1880 – August 20, 1972) was an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II, who served as the 8th Chief of Naval Operations from August 1, 1939 to March 26, 1942. Early life a ...
. Following the appointment of Admiral
Ernest J. King Ernest Joseph King (23 November 1878 – 25 June 1956) was an American naval officer who served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH-CNO, he directed the Un ...
as new Chief of Naval Operations in March 1942, Low remained in his office and assumed duty as Operations Officer with additional duty as Assistant Chief of Staff for
antisubmarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are typic ...
. Following the Japanese
Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
on December 7, 1941, Low came up with the idea that twin-engined Army bombers could be launched from an aircraft carrier, after observing several at a naval airfield in
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, where the runway was painted with the outline of a carrier deck for landing practice. Low sold the idea to Admiral King, who respected Low's opinion and forwarded it to the chief of the Army Air Forces, General
Henry H. Arnold Henry Harley Arnold (June 25, 1886 – January 15, 1950) was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps (1938–1941), ...
, who supported the plan. The operations later became known as the
Doolittle Raid The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japan ...
, the first air operation to strike the
Japanese Home Islands The Japanese archipelago (Japanese: 日本列島, ''Nihon rettō'') is a group of 6,852 islands that form the country of Japan, as well as the Russian island of Sakhalin. It extends over from the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast to the East Chi ...
. It demonstrated that the Japanese mainland was vulnerable to American air attack, served as retaliation for the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
, and provided an important boost to American morale. Low remained in this capacity until the beginning of September 1942 and assumed
Navy Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...
for his service in Washington. He was subsequently ordered to
New York Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a ...
and assumed command of the heavy cruiser , which was stationed there for repairs. Low led his vessel during the training off the Virginia Capes for the rest of the month, after which she steamed to
Casco Bay Casco Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the southern coast of Maine, New England, United States. Its easternmost approach is Cape Small and its westernmost approach is Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth. The city of Portland sits along its south ...
in Maine for further maneuvers. ''Wichita'' participated in the
Naval Battle of Casablanca The Naval Battle of Casablanca was a series of naval engagements fought between United States Navy, American ships covering the Operation Torch, invasion of North Africa and Vichy France, Vichy French ships defending the Neutrality (international ...
within the
Operation Torch Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – Run for Tunis, 16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of secu ...
, an
Anglo Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from, the Angles, England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term '' Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people ...
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
invasion of
French North Africa French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. In ...
, during November 1942 and helped neutralize the primary French defenses, which included coastal guns on El Hank, several submarines, and the incomplete battleship which lay at anchor in the harbor. ''Wichita'' was damaged and after series of patrols between
Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
and
Fedhala Mohammedia ( ar, المحمدية, al-muḥammadiyya; ber, ⴼⴹⴰⵍⴰ, Fḍala), known until 1960 as Fedala, is a port city on the west coast of Morocco between Casablanca and Rabat in the region of Casablanca-Settat. It hosts the most impo ...
, she departed for New York for repairs on November 16. Low received
Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...
with
Combat "V" Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
for his service in North African waters. Low subsequently commanded his vessel to the Pacific theater and participated in the
Battle of Rennell Island The took place on 29–30 January 1943. It was the last major naval engagement between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Guadalcanal Campaign of World War II. It occurred in the South Pacific between Rennell Is ...
in January 1943, before he was recalled to Washington, D.C. on March 10, 1943. After brief stint in Washington, D.C., he was promoted to the rank of
Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
on April 6, 1943, and appointed Chief of Staff of newly established U.S. Tenth Fleet under his old superior, Admiral
Ernest J. King Ernest Joseph King (23 November 1878 – 25 June 1956) was an American naval officer who served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH-CNO, he directed the Un ...
, who delegated the authority to command Tenth Fleet to Low. The Tenth Fleet was established as the result of negotiations between
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and the United States in order to intercept
U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...
operations against the merchant convoys and other allied vessels. It had no battleships, no carriers, no cruisers, no destroyers. Only desks, plotting boards and laboratories. Its personnel numbered less than 500, all landlubbers and half of them scientists. The radio operators and radio directions finders drew attention of German submarines and although the Tenth Fleet did not sink any enemy submarines, it forwarded the reports of enemy activity to the
U.S. Atlantic Fleet The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Stat ...
,
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
and
Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...
. Admiral Low was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Tenth Fleet and also maintained the liaison with the General Staff of the United States Army, the
British Admiralty The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...
and the Canadian Naval Headquarters to insure maximum efficiency in combined operations. He coordinated and directed the activities of Allied anti-submarine forces as they systematically tracked down and destroyed German undersea marauders ranging the vast reaches of the Atlantic. Low was also responsible for the protection of Allied shipping in the Eastern, Gulf and Caribbean Sea Frontiers, exercised close control over all convoys under United States cognizance. He remained in this capacity until January 1945, when he was replaced by Rear Admiral Allan R. McCann and ordered to the Pacific theater. For his service with Tenth Fleet, Low was decorated with the
Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
. He was also appointed
Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
. Upon his arrival to the Pacific, Low assumed command of Cruiser Division 16, consisting of the battlecruisers and , and directed his force in strikes in support of the landings on
Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...
and
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...
, and in strikes on other islands of the Nansei Shoto and the Japanese home islands of
Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
and southern
Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separ ...
. He was later decorated with the
Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
with
Combat "V" Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
for his service during that campaigns. He then led his command during the combat operations off the coasts off the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
and received Philippine Legion of Honor, rank Commander.


Later career

Following the end of War, Low was in charge of the surrender and neutralization of all Japanese Naval installations in
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
until November 1945, when he was appointed Commander, Destroyers Pacific Fleet. Low remained in this capacity until March 1947, when he assumed command of Service Forces, Pacific. He was also promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral at that date. Low was ordered to the Navy Department in November 1949 to conduct a special survey of the Navy's anti-submarine program, and in February 1950 was designated Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Logistics. He was responsible for the planning of budget for logistics for all marine forces and its advocating before the congressional committee on appropriations until May 1953, when he became Commander,
Western Sea Frontier Sea Frontiers were several, now disestablished, commands of the United States Navy as areas of defense against enemy vessels, especially submarines, along the U.S. coasts. They existed from 1 July 1941 until in some cases the 1970s. Sea Frontiers ...
, and Commander Pacific Reserve Fleet. Upon relieving by Rear Admiral
John R. Redman John "Jack" Roland Redman (January 31, 1898 – May 29, 1970) was an admiral in the United States Navy. A naval communications officer, he played key roles in signals intelligence during World War II in Washington, D.C., and on the staff of A ...
, he retired after 41 years of active service on July 1, 1956, and was advanced to the rank of four-star
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, ...
on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat. Low was decorated with
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
by
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking ...
as the token of good will.


Retirement

Upon his retirement from the Navy, Low settled in
Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
, where he died on January 22, 1964, at
Naval Hospital Oakland Naval Hospital Oakland, also known as Oak Knoll Naval Hospital, was a U.S. naval hospital located in Oakland, California that opened during World War II (1942) and closed in 1996 as part of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure program. The site ...
and is buried there at Mountain View Cemetery. He was survived by his second wife, Alice Regua Filmer Low (1900-1982).


Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Admiral Francis S. Low:


See also

*
Western Sea Frontier Sea Frontiers were several, now disestablished, commands of the United States Navy as areas of defense against enemy vessels, especially submarines, along the U.S. coasts. They existed from 1 July 1941 until in some cases the 1970s. Sea Frontiers ...
*
List of United States Navy four-star admirals This is a complete list of four-star admirals in the United States Navy. The rank of Admiral (United States), admiral (or ''full admiral'', or ''four-star admiral'') is the highest rank normally achievable in the U.S. Navy. It ranks above Vice ad ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Low, Francis S. 1894 births 1964 deaths People from Albany, New York United States Naval Academy alumni Naval War College alumni United States Navy admirals United States submarine commanders United States Navy personnel of World War I United States Navy World War II admirals Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic