Chester W. Nimitz was born at Fredericksburg, TX on February 24, 1885 and was the son of Chester B. and Anna Nimitz. Nimitz's father died before he was born and as a young man he was influenced by his grandfather Charles H. Nimitz who had served as a merchant seaman. Attending Tivy High School, Kerrville, TX, Nimitz originally wished to attend West Point but was unable to do so as no appointments were available.
Career
Meeting with Congressman James L. Slayden, Nimitz was informed that one competitive appointment was available to Annapolis. Viewing the US Naval Academy as his best option for continuing his education, Nimitz devoted himself to studying and succeeded in winning the appointment. Arriving at Annapolis in 1901, he proved an able student and graduated with distinction on January 30, 1905, ranked 7th in a class of 114. Assigned to the battleship USS Ohio, he traveled to the Far East. Remaining in the Orient, he later served aboard the cruiser USS Baltimore. In January 1907, having completed the required two years at sea, Nimitz was commissioned as a ensign.
Submarines & Diesel Engines
Leaving Baltimore, he served on several destroyers during 1907, including USS Decatur. While conning Decatur, Nimitz grounded the ship on a mud bank in the Philippines. Though he rescued a seaman from drowning in the wake of the incident, Nimitz was court-martialed and issued a letter of reprimand. Returning home, he was transferred to the submarine service in early 1909. Promoted to lieutenant in January 1910, Nimitz commanded several early submarines before being named Commander, 3rd Submarine Division, Atlantic Torpedo Fleet in October 1911. Ordered to Boston the following month to oversee the fitting out of USS Skipjack (E-1), Nimitz received a silver Lifesaving Medal for rescuing a drowning sailor in March 1912. Leading the Atlantic Submarine Flotilla from May 1912 to March 1913, Nimitz was assigned to oversee the construction of diesel engines for the tanker USS Maumee. While in this assignment, he married Catherine Vance Freeman in April 1913. That summer, the US Navy dispatched Nimitz to Germany and Belgium to study diesel technology. Returning, he became one of the service's foremost experts on diesel engines.
Nimitz in World War II
Coming ashore in 1939, he was selected to serve as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. He was in this role when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Ten days later, Nimitz was selected to replace Admiral Husband Kimmel as Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet. Traveling west, he arrived at Pearl Harbor on Christmas Day. Officially taking command on December 31, Nimitz immediately began efforts to rebuild the Pacific Fleet and halt the Japanese advance across the Pacific. On March 30, 1942, Nimitz was also made Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas giving him control of all Allied forces in the central Pacific. Initially operating on the defensive, Nimitz's forces won a strategic victory at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, which halted Japanese efforts to capture Port Moresby, New Guinea. The following month, they scored a decisive triumph over the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. With reinforcements arriving, Nimitz shifted to the offensive and began a protracted campaign in the Solomon Islands in August, centered on the capture of Guadalcanal. After several months of bitter fighting on land and sea, the island was finally secured in early 1943. While General Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, advanced through New Guinea, Nimitz began a campaign of "island hopping" across the Pacific. Rather than engage sizable Japanese garrisons, these operations were designed to cut them off and let them "whither on the vine." Moving from island to island, Allied forces used each as a base for capturing the next.