ADMIRAL HAROLD R. STARK

The USS Stark (FFG-31) was named in honor of Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark, born in Wilkes-Barre, PA, on 12 November 1880. He entered the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, in 1899. He graduated on 2 February 1903, and went to sea for the two years of service, then required by law, before commissioning. During those two years, Stark served aboard the USS Gloucester, a yacht conversion in 1903. In 1904, he served aboard the USS Newark (C-1)Protected Cruiser in the West Indies and off the South American coast, briefly on the USS Minneapolis (C-13)Columbia-class Protected Cruiser, the station ship USS Hartford, and a gunboat, the USS Newport (PG-12)Annapolis-class Gunboat, before being commissioned Ensign on 3 February 1905.

After graduation, Stark was a plankowner on the USS Minnesota (BB-22)Connecticut-class Battleship and served aboard for 2 years. The Minnesota participated in portions of the Jamestown Exposition, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown Colony, held at Sewell’s Point, Hampton Roads, VA. Her participation included a Presidential Naval Review off Hampton Roads with President Theodore Roosevelt reviewing the ships from his vantage point at Fort Monroe. Minnesota sailed as one of the 16 battleships of the “Great White Fleet”.

Stark completed instruction with the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla at Charleston in the spring of 1909, and successively commanded the USS Porter (DD-59)Tucker-class Destroyer and the USS Stringham (DD-83)Wickes-class Destroyer before serving as an assistant to the engineer officer of the Norfolk Navy Yard, VA, for three years. In 1912, Stark took command of the USS Lamson (DD-18)Smith-class Destroyer, the USS Patterson (DD-36)Paulding-class Destroyer, and then as the engineering officer on board the USS Brooklyn (ACR-3/CA-3)Armored Cruiser. As WWI was approaching, Stark went ashore for duty at Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, RI.

Shortly after the United States entered the war, he assumed command of Torpedo Flotilla, Asiatic Fleet, aboard the USS Monterey (BM-6)Monterey-class Monitor, a monitor ship. After a brief stay on the USS Nahma (SP-771),Patrol Vessel he joined the staff of ADM William S. Sims, Commander, US Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, at times stationed aboard the USS Melville (AD-2)Destroyer Tender throughout the rest of the war. In 1919, he spent time as Recruiting Officer, London, England, and commanded the Detachment, Naval Headquarters, London.

Stark received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his “exceptionally meritorious service during the World War, in a duty of great responsibility as Commander of a Squadron of small and old destroyers hurriedly fitted out in the Philippines and dispatched to the Mediterranean at a season when the southwest monsoon was at its height. The trip was successfully made under Commander Stark’s efficient leadership in spite of many difficulties, in a time much shorter than had been considered possible, and the Squadron arrived in the Mediterranean in excellent condition in time to take an active and efficient part in the antisubmarine campaign there, and in the Atlantic…”

After the war, Stark served successively as the Executive Officer of the USS North Dakota (BB-29)Delaware-class Battleship, and as the Executive Officer of Naval Training Station Hampton Roads, VA. He completed the senior course at the Naval War College at Newport in 1923, after which he served briefly as the Executive Officer of the USS West Virginia (BB-48)Colorado-class Battleship, and then assumed command of ammunition ship USS Nitro (AE-2)Ammunition Ship. He next served as Naval Inspector of Ordnance in Charge of Naval Proving Ground, Indian Head, MD. As a Captain, he served on the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadrons, Battle Fleet, first as an aide and later as chief of staff until 1930.

For the next three years, Stark served as an aide to Secretaries of the Navy Charles F. Adams and Claude A. Swanson. In 1933, he went back to sea as the Commanding officer of the USS West Virginia (BB-48)Colorado-class Battleship for a year and then returned to Washington as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, with the accompanying rank of Rear Admiral until 1937. He returned to sea again this time to lead Cruiser Division 3, Battle Force, and then Cruisers, Battle Force, breaking his flag aboard the light cruiser USS Honolulu (CL-48)Brooklyn-class Light Cruiser in May 1938. He was then chosen to succeed ADM William D. Leahy as the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) as well as serving as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff until 1942.

The Admiral helped prepare the Navy to fight a two-ocean war. He directed RADM Alfred W. Johnson, Commander, Atlantic Squadron, to maintain an offshore patrol to report “in confidential system” the movements of all foreign men-of-war approaching or leaving the east coast of the United States and approaching and entering or leaving the Caribbean. Stark sent a memorandum to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 2 June 1940, that addressed options concerning the situation in South America. He asked for funds to construct the “Two-Ocean Navy.” Roosevelt conferred with Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, and Secretary of State Cordell Hull on 27 August concerning a compromise to resolve the impasse that rose over the proposed destroyers-for-bases agreement with the British. Subsequently, Roosevelt met with Stark, Knox, Hull, and British Ambassador Lord Lothian (Philip H. Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian); and they reviewed the proposal arrived at earlier that day. Stark certified that the destroyers involved were no longer essential to the defense of the United States, thus clearing the way for their transfer. This “Destroyers for Bases” agreement aided the British against German U-boats, and provided the U.S. with a chain of bases in the Atlantic.

Allied intelligence analysts continued to accumulate evidence of likely Japanese moves and Stark sent a “war warning” message to commanders of the Pacific and Asiatic Fleets on 27 November 1941, a day after Dai-ichi Kidō Butai (the Japanese 1st Mobile Striking Force) sailed from Japanese waters to attack Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. Gen. George C. Marshall, USA, Army Chief of Staff, sent a similar message to his Hawaiian and Philippine Department commanders. Despite these warnings and other preparations, the Japanese struck multiple Allied bastions across the Pacific on 7 and 8 December 1941. Stark led the Navy through the beginning of the Axis onslaught against the United States, until ADM Ernest J. King relieved him on 26 March 1942.

Following his tour as CNO, Stark assumed command of US Naval Forces, Europe, on 30 April 1942. On 1 October 1943, the naval forces under his command became the Twelfth Fleet, which he led until 15 August 1945. The admiral proved instrumental in forging the convoys and antisubmarine measures that defeated German U-boats and bridged the Atlantic, and in overseeing US naval participation in the D-Day invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. GEN Dwight D. Eisenhower personally presented the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Stark for “rendering brilliant and distinguished service,” not only as a naval administrator, but as a skilled diplomatic emissary during the often tense relations between the Allied leaders. Stark retired with the rank of admiral on 1 April 1946.

Stark received the Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal (for his tenure as CNO); the Army Distinguished Service Medal (for his command of naval forces in European waters); Mexican Campaign Medal; Navy Expeditionary Medal; WWI Victory Medal; Destroyer Clasp (World War I); American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; and the World War II Victory Medal. His international awards include Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy; British Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire; French Legion of Honor, rank of Commodore; French Croix de Guerre with Palm; Brazilian Grand Master of the National Order of the Southern Cross; Norwegian Order of St. Olaf; Polish Chevalier of the Order of Polonia Restitute, First Class; Dutch Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords; Belgian Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold; and Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm.

Stark died of a heart attack on 20 August 1972, and following a funeral service at Fort Myer Old Post Chapel three days later, was interred alongside his wife at Arlington National Cemetery, VA.