DELAWARE AND U.S. NAVY HISTORY By John Riley
44 USS DELAWARE
Adm. Samuel Francis Du Pont, shown in an 1861 portrait.
William Halsey Spruance also raised his four children in Delaware, two of whom reside in Delaware today – Lea Spruance Beard and Corby Spruance. Sons Jake and Halsey Spruance Jr. live nearby in Pennsylvania, and are active in the Wilmington community. Some history books have confused the lineage, and reported that Adm. Halsey’s daughter married Adm. Spruance’s son. That is not the case, but Halsey’s son-in-law was a distant cousin of Spruance. Descendants of Adm. Husband E. Kimmel also call Delaware home. Four-star Adm. Kimmel was commander-in-chief of the Pacific fleet on Dec. 7, 1941, the “day that
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TODAY WE COMMISSION ANOTHER GREAT NAVY vessel bearing the name USS Delaware. This presents a special opportunity to reflect on the significant American naval leaders with connections to the “First State.” Some of these connections, such as those to Adm. William F. “Bull” Halsey and Adm. Husband E. Kimmel of World War II fame run deep, while other connections, such as to Adm. John S. McCain and Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, fall more into the line of duty. But it is equally important to recognize that there have been thousands of sailors from Delaware who have served our country with commitment and valor in the past, and many who continue to do so today. On this day we honor and thank them all. On Sept. 7, 2018, I attended the change of command ceremony of the U.S. Navy SEALs at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, California. Rear Adm. Timothy Szymanski of Wilmington, Delaware, handed over command of the Navy SEALs to Rear Adm. Collin Green, whose family roots could also be found in Wilmington; like Szymanski, Green’s father graduated from Salesianum School. Szymanski was soon promoted to vice admiral and assumed the position of deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. Admirals Szymanski and Green are not the only Wilmington and U.S. Navy connections to the San Diego Bay area. During the Mexican-American War in 1846, Samuel Francis Du Pont, in command of the USS Cyane, led our naval forces during the capture of San Diego. Du Pont would eventually serve as a rear admiral during the Civil War. According to Hagley Museum historian Lucas Clawson, Du Pont is credited with being one of the organizers of the Naval Academy in 1845, and he served two short appointments as superintendent. Du Pont died in June 1865, only months after the surrender of Confederate forces, and was buried in the family cemetery near Wilmington. Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., is named in his honor, and his statue stands at the entrance to Rockford Park in Wilmington. There are few names that resonate through World War II history with greater significance and respect than Adm. William “Bull” Halsey, commander of the South Pacific Area and later Third Fleet, and Adm. Raymond A. Spruance, the hero of the Battle of Midway – considered the turning point of war with Japan. Halsey was the last naval officer to achieve fleet admiral, or five-star, rank. Halsey’s daughter, Margaret, raised her family in Delaware with husband Preston Lea Spruance. Their son
