He was a member of the United States Naval Academy class of 1915. Service in increasingly important posts afloat and ashore prepared him for his role as commander of Amphibious Group 6 in the assaults on Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, and Borneo during the Pacific War in 1944 and 1945. His planning and execution of these important assignments was recognized with the Distinguished Service Medal, and the posthumous (he had died of a heart attack on board his flagship ) award of a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal. He was also appointed posthumously Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his service for the allied cause.