Clifton Sprague
Clifton Albert Frederick ("Ziggy") Sprague (* 1896 in Dorchester , Massachusetts , † April 11, 1955 in San Diego , California ) was an American naval officer at the time of World War II .
Sprague was born in Dorchester and attended the Boston Latin School and later the United States Naval Academy . After graduating from the academy, Sprague joined naval aviators.
During the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he commanded the ship USS Tangier . He later became the captain of the aircraft carrier USS Wasp . However, it is best known for its use during the Battle of Leyte . Sprague was the commander of an escort carrier association (Taffy 3) that supported the landing. During the mission, his group met the Japanese main force with several battleships and cruisers without any premonition . Although he had only a few destroyer escorts, he and the Taffy 2 group attacked the enemy fleet with his aircraft. They managed to confuse and disperse the Japanese. The fleet eventually dispersed.
For his dedication, courage and leadership skills during combat, Sprague was awarded the Navy Cross . After the war he was in charge of a naval district and died in 1955 of heart disease.
An Oliver Hazard Perry class ship , the USS Clifton Sprague (FFG-16) was named after him.
Web links
- Kenneth I. Friedman, biography of Spragues (English)
- US Navy on the naming of the USS Clifton Sprague (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Sprague, Clifton |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Sprague, Clifton Albert Frederick (full name); Sprague, Ziggy (nickname) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American naval officer at the time of World War II |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1896 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Dorchester , Massachusetts |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 11, 1955 |
| Place of death | San Diego , California |