[Vice Admiral] Gravely was an inspiration, not only to African Americans but to all naval officers aspiring to be the best that they can be. To this day, I think he is still an inspiration to us all, just an absolutely wonderful officer, gentleman, and a Christian. He strived to mentor and promote excellence in all junior officers, without regard to race or gender. Rear Adm. Anthony Winns, quoted in Ben L. Walton, Great Black War Fighters: Profiles in Service
Samuel L. Gravely Jr. was a man of many firsts in African American history: • Commanding a U.S. Navy warship • Commanding an American warship under combat conditions (since the Civil War) • Becoming an admiral in the in the U.S. Navy • Commanding a U.S. fleet.
And the list goes on. Gravely’s accomplishments—the result of his perseverance, professionalism, and perpetual optimism—directly and indirectly paved the way for numerous Navy officers, and they continue to provide valuable lessons for us all.
Foreword iii
INTRODUCTION 1
THE U.S. NAVY’S AFRICAN AMERICAN ADMIRALS 7
Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely Jr. 7
Rear Admiral Gerald E. Thomas 12
Rear Admiral Louis Williams 14
Rear Admiral Wendell Norman Johnson 16
Rear Admiral Benjamin T. Hacker 19
Rear Admiral Robert Lee Toney 21
Rear Admiral William E. Powell Jr. 24
Vice Admiral Walter Davis 26
Rear Admiral Macea E. Fussell 29
Rear Admiral Mack Gaston 31
Admiral Joseph Paul Reason 33
Rear Admiral James A. Johnson 37
Rear Admiral Larry L. Poe 40
Vice Admiral Edward Moore Jr. 43
Vice Admiral David L. Brewer III 47
Rear Admiral Osie V. Combs 52
Rear Admiral Gene Kendall 54
Vice Admiral Adam M. Robinson Jr. 57
Rear Admiral Lillian E. Fishburne 60
Rear Admiral Willie C. Marsh 63
Rear Admiral Vinson E. Smith 66
Rear Admiral Reubin B. Bookert 68
Rear Admiral Barry C. Black 70
Vice Admiral Derwood Curtis 73
Rear Admiral Julius S. Caesar 78
Vice Admiral Anthony L. Winns 81
Rear Admiral Victor G. Guillory 85
Rear Admiral Arthur J. Johnson 88 ii
inspiring innovation Rear Admiral Earl L. Gay 90
Rear Admiral Kelvin N. Dixon 93
Rear Admiral Sinclair Harris 96
Rear Admiral Norman R. Hayes 100
Rear Admiral Vincent L. Griffith 103
Admiral Michelle Howard 106
Rear Admiral Charles K. Carodine 110
Rear Admiral Kevin D. Scott 113
Rear Admiral John W. Smith Jr. 116
Rear Admiral Jesse A. Wilson Jr. 119
Rear Admiral James W. Crawford III 122
Rear Admiral Annie B. Andrews 125
Rear Admiral Fernandez Ponds 128
Rear Admiral Dwight D. Shepherd 133
Rear Admiral Willie L. Metts 136
Rear Admiral Eric C. Young 139
Rear Admiral Stephen C. Evans 143
Rear Admiral Alvin Holsey 147
THE U.S. NAVY’S CENTENNIAL SEVEN 150
Captain C. A. ‘Pete’ Tzomes 151
Rear Admiral Anthony Watson 153
Dr. William F. Bundy 155
Vice Admiral Melvin G. Williams Jr. 159
Admiral Cecil D. Haney 164
Vice Admiral Bruce E. Grooms 167
Captain Joseph P. Peterson 171
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: THE HEART OF COMMAND AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP 173
Rear Admiral Lawrence C. Chambers 173
The Honorable B. J. “Buddie” Penn 179
Conclusion 183
Acronyms and Abbreviations 184
African American Admirals Commissioning and Promotion Data 187
About the Author 190
Notes 191
Individuals interested in naval history and African-Americans who served with great distinction, instructors and historians associated with naval history,
Product Details
- Crosby, Robert
- John A. Van Buren Studies in Leadership and Ethics, No. 1
- Gravely, Samuel L.
