Arthur W. Radford | |
|---|---|
 Admiral Arthur W. Radford as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
| Born | 27 February 1896 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 17 August 1973 (aged 77) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1916–1957 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff United States Pacific Fleet Vice Chief of Naval Operations Second Task Fleet Carrier Division Eleven Aviation Training Division Naval Air Station Seattle VF-1B |
| Battles / wars |
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| Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal (4) Legion of Merit (2) Order of Fiji Companion of the Order of the Bath (United Kingdom) |
| Signature |  |
Arthur William Radford (27 February 1896 – 17 August 1973) was an admiral and naval aviator of the United States Navy. In over 40 years of military service, Radford held a variety of positions including the vice chief of Naval Operations, commander of the United States Pacific Fleet and later the second chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
With an interest in ships and aircraft from a young age, Radford saw his first sea duty aboard the battleship USS South Carolina during World War I. In the inter-war period he earned his pilot wings and rose through the ranks in duties aboard ships and in the Bureau of Aeronautics. After the U.S. entered World War II, he was the architect of the development and expansion of the Navy's aviator training programs in the first years of the war. In its final years he commanded carrier task forces through several major campaigns of the Pacific War.
Noted as a strong-willed and aggressive leader, Radford was a central figure in the post-war debates on U.S. military policy, and was a staunch proponent of naval aviation. As commander of the Pacific Fleet, he defended the Navy's interests in an era of shrinking defense budgets, and was a central figure in the "Revolt of the Admirals," a contentious public fight over policy. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he continued to advocate for aggressive foreign policy and a strong nuclear deterrent in support of the "New Look" policy of President Dwight Eisenhower.
Retiring from the military in 1957, Radford continued to be a military adviser to several prominent politicians until his death in 1973. For his extensive service, he was awarded many military honors, and was the namesake of the Spruance-class destroyer USS Arthur W. Radford.