 admiral harry ervin yarnell (18 october 1875 - 7 july 1959) was an american naval officer whose career spanned over 51 years and three wars, from the spanish-american war through world war ii. among his achievements was proving, in 1932 war games, that pearl harbor was vulnerable to a naval aerial attack. his findings were dismissed by his superiors until the imperial japanese navy's pearl harbor attack was just as yarnell predicted. ==early life and naval career== born near independence, iowa, he entered the u.s. naval academy in 1893. after serving on  during the battle of santiago de cuba, 3 july 1898, yarnell was commissioned ensign 1 july 1899 and reported to the asiatic station. he served in the philippines during the philippine-american war and with the asiatic squadron during the boxer rebellion. in 1902, he was the commissioning commanding officer of the destroyer uss dale (dd-4). ==assignments through world war i== from asia, yarnell reported to connecticut (bb-18) at her commissioning. on january 13, 1907, he was the officer of the deck when connecticut ran aground near culebra, puerto rico. both yarnell and connecticut captain william swift were court-martialed; swift was convicted but yarnell was acquitted. restored to duty, yarnell sailed around the world with the great white fleet. next, duty at the newport torpedo station, on cinclant's staff, and at the naval war college occupied him until world war i, when he served at gibraltar and then at london, on the staff of admiral william s. sims. ==interwar assignments== yarnell then rotated between sea and shore duty unti
1875_births 1959_deaths American_military_personnel_of_World_War_I American_military_personnel_of_World_War_II American_military_personnel_of_the_PhilippineaAmerican_War American_military_personnel_of_the_SpanishaAmerican_War Naval_War_College_alumni People_from_Independence,_Iowa Recipients_of_the_Navy_Cross_(United_States) Recipients_of_the_Navy_Distinguished_Service_Medal United_States_Naval_Academy_alumni United_States_Navy_World_War_II_admirals United_States_Navy_admirals