Jerauld Wright Admiral Jerauld Wright , USN , ( June 4 , 1898 – April 27 , 1995 ) served as the Commander - in - Chief of the U . S . Atlantic Command ( CINCLANT ) and the Commander - in - Chief of the U . S . Atlantic Fleet ( CINCLANTFLT ) , and became the second Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic ( SACLANT ) for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) , from April 1 , 1954 to March 1 , 1960 , serving longer in these three positions than anyone else in history . Following World War I , Wright served as a naval aide for Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover . A recognized authority on naval gunnery , Wright served in the European and theaters during World War II , developing expertise in amphibious warfare and coalition warfare planning . After the war , Wright was involved in the evolution of the military structure of NATO as well as overseeing the modernization and readiness of the U . S . Atlantic Fleet during the Cold War . Upon his retirement from the U . S . Navy , Wright subsequently served on the Central Intelligence Agency ' s National Board of Estimates ( NBE ) and as the U . S . Ambassador to the Republic of China ( Taiwan ) . Early years . Jerauld Wright was born on June 4 , 1898 , in Amherst , Massachusetts , the second son of Major General William M . Wright , United States Army , ( 1863 – 1943 ) and the former Marjorie R . Jerauld ( 1867 – 1954 ) , who also had another son , William Mason Wright , Jr . ( 1893 – 1977 ) , and a daughter , Marjorie Wright ( 1900 – 1985 ) . Life for young Jerry Wright was a succession of U . S . Army posts , such as Fort Porter , Fort Omaha , the Presidio , and the Jefferson Barracks , as well as overseas tours of duty in Cuba and the Philippines . Keeping the family together while his father pursued an active military career was his mother , nicknamed " The Field Marshal " by her husband . Jerry remembered his mother fondly : " She was a tiger with her young . " Jerry ' s father was a veteran of the Spanish - American War , the Boxer Rebellion , and World War I , during which he commanded the 89th Division in the St . Mihiel offensive and the Third Corps . He was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal . Following the war , General Wright commanded the Ninth Corps at the Presidio and the Department of the Philippines . While his father was assigned to the newly created U . S . Army General Staff before World War I , Jerry met William Howard Taft . Later , Jerry accompanied his father on inspection tours of U . S . military installations in the Philippines . During this tour , he was deeply impressed the naval squadron visiting Manila . His growing interest in a naval career was further encouraged by this father , giving his son a very practical perspective : Prior to going to the U . S . Naval Academy in Annapolis , Maryland , Jerry Wright attended the Franciscan Coligio de La Salle in Malate , California , and Shadman ' s School at Scott ' s Circle in Washington , DC . United States Naval Academy . Jerauld Wright received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy from Congressman Edward W . Townsend of the Tenth Congressional District from the State of New Jersey . Wright entered the academy on July 31 , 1914 , the youngest midshipman to enter the academy since the American Civil War . Wright graduated on June 26 , 1917 as part of the Class of 1918 , ranked 92nd out of 193 , the youngest member in his class . Naval career . World War I . In July 1917 , Lt . Jerauld Wright joined the gunboat , which set sail for Gibraltar on August 5 , 1917 for anti - submarine patrol and convoy duty , operating as a unit of the Patrol Force through December 21 , 1918 . Inter - War service . Sea duty . Lt . Wright served on , a , as a watch and division officer from December 1918 to July 1920 . Dyer showed the flag in port visits to Gibraltar , La Spezia , Venice , Trieste , Spoleto , Corfu , and Constantinople during a nine - month cruise of the Mediterranean following the signing of the Armistice ending World War I . Following " Dyer ' s " return August 1919 , Wright supervised her overhaul at the Brooklyn Navy Yard . Lt . Wright also briefly commanded the , a , which escorted the presidential yacht , with President Warren G . Harding on board , from Gardiner ' s Bay , New York , to the Capes . In October 1920 , Lt . Wright took command of the , anchored in reserve at Naval Station Newport , Rhode Island , for transfer to Charleston , South Carolina . Later , in February 1922 , Lt . Wright joined the , a slated for decommissioning at the Mare Island Navy Yard , serving as its executive officer . In June 1922 , Lt . Wright joined the , a , as its executive officer , with additional duties as fire control officer and navigator . " John D . Ford " set sail from the Philadelphia Navy Yard with its sister ships of Squadron 15 , Division 3 , for the U . S . Asiatic Fleet . The " John D . Ford " operated throughout the Far East , including the South China Sea , the Sea of Japan , and the Philippines , showing the flag and training with other destroyers in the fleet . In July 1926 , Lt . Wright joined the , a as the principal assistant of the ship ' s Gunnery Division . In November 1928 , the " Maryland " took President - elect Herbert Hoover on the outbound leg of his goodwill tour of Latin America . Wright also further his hands - on education of gunnery and ordnance while serving as an instructor at the Gunnery School on the battleship . Commander Wright joined the , a attached to the Scouting Force , as its first lieutenant in August 1931 and later became the ship ' s gunnery officer from June 1932 to June 1934 . The " Salt Lake City " participated in naval exercises in the Atlantic and Pacific , underwent a major overhaul and participated in the 1934 Naval Review . Wright ' s first sea command was the , a , with Wright serving as its first commanding officer from July 1937 to May 1939 . The " Blue " completed its shakedown cruise , transitted the Panama Canal , and joined the Destroyer Division 7 ( DesRon 7 ) as its flagship , becoming a unit of the Battle Force based at the San Diego Naval Base , California . The " Blue " participated in Fleet Problem XX exercises staged in the Caribbean Sea . Wright ' s final pre - war sea assignment was as the executive officer of the , a based at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in the Territory of Hawaii , from March 1941 to May 1942 . The " Mississippi " became a unit of Battleship Division 3 ( BatDiv 3 ) with sister ships and . Following the " Bismarck " incident and the growing U - boat threat , Battleship Division 3 was secretly shifted to the newly reconstituted U . S . Atlantic Fleet , under the command of Admiral Ernest J . King , entering the Norfolk Naval Base in June 1941 . " Mississippi " was present at the Atlantic Conference at Argentia , participated in the Neutrality Patrol , and joined the " Idaho " and the British battleship to form an Iceland - based fleet in being to deter the German battleship from deploying into the north Atlantic to threaten Allied convoys . After months of operations in the North Atlantic , " Mississippi " was en route to Norfolk for long overdue repairs two days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 . Shore duty . Lt . Wright served as a naval aide for two Presidents of the United States , including Calvin Coolidge from September 1924 to June 1926 , with additional duties as a watch and division officer on board the presidential yacht , and Herbert Hoover during his pre - inaugural goodwill tour of Latin America in November 1928 . Wright also served as aide to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Henry L . Roosevelt from June 1935 to March 1936 . Wright subsequently served on board during its commissioning and fitting - out period . Wright developed an interest in gunnery and ordnance after he was turned down for naval aviation because he had exophoria . His first tour of duty at the Bureau of Ordnance ( BuOrd ) was as a fire control section assistant , specializing in anti - aircraft equipment , from August 1929 to August 1931 . Wright ' s second BuOrd assignment was with its supply and allowance division , involving ammunition distribution to the fleet , from June 1936 to July 1937 . Bureau chief Rear Admiral Harold R . Stark rated Wright highly . Commander Wright served two tours at the United States Naval Academy as the Battalion Commander for the First Battalion , from June 1934 to June 1935 , and the Battalion Commander for the Second Battalion , from June 1939 to March 1941 . Wright earned two nicknames at the Naval Academy . The first , " Old Iron Heels " because he wore steel wedges on his shoes to alert midshipmen of his approach . His second nickname , " Old Stoneface " originated because of his ability to elicit confessions from offending midshipmen regarding disciplinary infractions without uttering a word . Wright also served as the staff aide to the Commander Atlantic Squadron during the Midshipman ' s Practice Cruise in June – August 1940 . World War II . Pearl Harbor aftermath , COMINCH , and London . The USS " Mississippi " completed its overhaul in three weeks and transited the Panama Canal to re - join the U . S . Pacific Fleet , visiting San Francisco , California to re - assure its citizens in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor . In March 1942 , Captain Jerauld Wright was detached from the " Mississippi " for temporary duty on the staff of Admiral Ernest J . King , the Commander - in - Chief of the U . S . Fleet ( COMINCH ) , before being assigned to Admiral Harold R . Stark ' s staff in London , effective June 3 , 1942 . Captain Wright was subsequently assigned to the planning staff of Lieutenant General Dwight D . Eisenhower , who would lead the British - American invasion of North Africa ( Operation Torch ) . Wright ' s role would be to coordinate with his British counterparts regarding the Mediterranean landings in Algiers . One growing concern for Eisenhower and his planners was the likely reaction of local French political and military leaders toward an Allied invasion of North Africa . Strong French resistance could cause more casualties for the landing force . One issue coloring French attitudes was their deep - seated resentment toward the British for the Attack on Mers - el - Kébir in which the Royal Navy shelled the anchored French fleet in June 1940 . Another issue was working with officials connected to the Vichy government which could cause serious political and security complications . Diplomat Robert D . Murphy , the U . S . consul general in Algiers , spearheaded efforts to gather pre - invasion intelligence and cultivate diplomatic contacts in French North Africa , and Wright would find himself intimately involved in his pre - invasion activities . North Africa , Sicily , and Italy . Operation Flagpole . On October 16 , 1942 , Captain Jerauld Wright was summoned to Operation Torch ' s staff headquarters at Horfolk House in London for important meeting with General Eisenhower , alongside other senior officers . Eisenhower informed the group that the War Department had forwarded an urgent cable from U . S . diplomat Robert D . Murphy requesting the immediate dispatch of a top - secret high - level group to meet with Général Charles E . Mast , the military commander of Algiers and the leader of a group of pro - Allied officials in French North Africa . The objective of this secret mission , code - named Operation Flagpole , was to reach an agreement through Mast and his colleagues to have Général Henri Giraud , a key pro - Allied French army officer , step forward , take command of French military forces in North Africa , and then arrange a ceasefire with the Allied invasion force . Other alternatives , like Jean Darlan and Charles de Gaulle , had been rejected by the British and American governments for a variety of political reasons . Clark would be Eisenhower ' s personal representative , with Lemnitzer as the top invasion planner , Hamblen as the invasion ' s logistics expert , and Holmes serving as translator . Wright would serve as the liaison with the French Navy , with the specific objective of convincing the French to have their fleet anchored in Toulon join the Allied cause . The group flew in two Boeing B - 17 Flying Fortresses bombers to Gibraltar , and on October 19 , they boarded the British submarine , Lieutenant Norman Limbury Auchinleck " Bill " Jewell , RN , commanding . " Seraph " then transported Clark ' s party to the small fishing village of Cherchell , located 82 mils ( 132 kilometers ) west of Algiers . After midnight on the evening of October 21 , the " Seraph " surfaced and set Clark ' s mission ashore , where they met with Mast and Murphy . Wright met with " Capitaine de vaisseau " Jean Barjot and learned that the French Navy was opposed to U . S . entry into North Africa , although the army and air force supported it . On October 24 , Clark ' s mission returned to the " Seraph " and later met a seaplane that flew them back to Gibraltar , arriving back in London on October 25 where Wright briefed Admiral Stark . Both Eisenhower and Clark recommended Jerauld Wright for a Distinguished Service Medal in recognition for his role in Operation Flagpole . Wright ' s DSM was personally pinned by Admiral Ernest J . King , the Chief of Naval Operations , during the Casablanca Conference . Operation Kingpin . With the preliminaries concluded during Operation Flagpole , the next task was to free Général Giraud ( code - named Kingpin ) whom the Vichy government had under house arrest for his anti - Nazi leanings at Toulon in southern France . On October 26 , 1942 , Captain Jerauld Wright was directed to take part in the mission to extract Giraud , code - named Operation Kingpin . Because of intense anti - British sentiment among French officers , the mission would present an American face . However , because there were no American submarines operating in the Mediterranean Sea , a novel solution was conceived with Wright taking command of the British submarine . As Captain G . B . H . Fawkes , RN , the commander of 8th Submarine Flotilla in the Mediterranean , noted : The " Seraph " got underway on October 27 and arrived off Toulon on October 30 . After several delays , Giraud and his party were brought on board , and a PBY Catalina flying boat subsequently flew Wright , Giraud , and the others back to Gibraltar , the new Operation Torch headquarters , to confer with generals Eisenhower and Clark . Captain Jerauld Wright was awarded his first Legion of Merit in recognition of his participation in Operation Kingpin . Operation Torch . D - Day for Operation Torch , November 8 , 1942 , saw over 73 , 000 American and British troops landed at Casablanca , Oran , and Algiers . However , the most significant development was on the diplomatic and political front when U . S . consul general Robert D . Murphy alerted the Allied high command about unexpected presence of " Admiral de la flotte " Jean Darlan , the head of the Vichy French military , who was visiting his ill son in Algiers . Darlan ' s presence complicated the pre - invasion arrangements with Général Henri Giraud . Darlan pointed out to Murphy that he outranked Giraud , whom Darlan maintained had little influence within the French military . After a ceasefire was reached in Algiers , General Eisenhower sent a delegation to resolve the situation and broker a ceasefire with all French North African forces . Captain Jerauld Wright accompanied General Clark , who concluded that Darlan could , with certain conditions , deliver the general ceasefire and oversee the post - invasion occupation , and that Giraud lacked the political ability to accomplish these goals . Eisenhower endorsed Clark ' s recommendation , which caused a political firestorm within the Allied governments because of Darlan ' s connection to Vichy . About Giraud and Darlan , Wright observed : Admiral Harold R . Stark noted in Wright ' s December 1942 fitness report that : At the Casablanca Conference in January 1943 , President Franklin D . Roosevelt , Prime Minister Winston Churchill , and the Combined Chiefs of Staff ( CCS ) made the decision to conduct shelve plans for Operation Sledgehammer , and instead progress operations in Sicily ( Operation Husky ) and Italy ( Operation Avalanche ) . Finally , Admiral Darlan was assassinated on December 24 , 1942 , and Charles de Gaulle would ultimately outmaneuver and marginalize Henri Giraud to become the sole leader of the Free French movement . Operation Husky . Captain Jerauld Wright joined the staff of Vice Admiral H . Kent Hewitt , USN , the Commander , U . S . Naval Forces , Northwest Africa Waters ( COMNAVNAW ) , as its assistant chief of staff . Hewitt would command the " Western Naval Task Force " , which would land U . S . Seventh Army under Lieutenant General George S . Patton in the Gulf of Gela near Palermo for Operation Husky , the Allied invasion of Sicily . Vice - Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay , RN , would command the Eastern Naval Task Force , which would land the British Eighth Army under General Sir Bernard L . Montgomery near Syracuse . Admiral Sir Andrew B . Cunningham , RN , would command all Allied naval forces for Operation Husky , and General Dwight D . Eisenhower , United States Army , would be in overall command of the Sicily invasion . The Western Naval Task Force consisted of three subordinated forces , Task Force 80 ( code name " JOSS " ) under the command of Rear Admiral Richard L . Conolly to land the 3rd Infantry Division , Major General Lucian Truscott commanding , on beaches near Licata . Task Force 82 ( code name " DIME " ) under Rear Admiral land to 1st Infantry Division , Major General Terry de la Mesa Allen commanding , on beaches near Gela . Task Force 85 ( code name " CENT " ) under the command of Rear Admiral Alan Kirk was to land the 45th Infantry Division , Major General Troy Middleton commanding , on beaches near Scoglitti . Wright worked closely with his U . S . Army counterparts , and he considered Patton " a great fellow " who grew to appreciate the effectiveness of naval gun support for his landing force . However , Wright was critical of Lieutenant General Carl A . Spaatz , USAAF , and Air Vice - Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham , RAF , regarding the lack of cooperation on close air support from the Allied air forces . Wright did praise Air Vice - Marshal Sir Hugh Pughe Lloyd , RAF , for providing air support from Malta . The loading of ships and landing craft of the Western Naval Task Force was completed on July 8 , 1943 , with Vice Admiral Hewitt and his staff embarking on the USS " Monrovia " , the invasion force ' s flagship . D - Day was July 10 , and Patton ' s troops stormed ashore and began their history - making drive for Messina . Operation Avalanche . Operation Avalanche was the Allied invasion of the Italian mainland with amphibious landings at Salerno , with additional landing at Calabria ( Operation Baytown ) and Taranto ( Operation Slapstick ) . For the Salerno landing , Captain Jerauld Wright faced two major challenges in his capacity as the assistant chief of staff for U . S . Naval Forces , Northwest Africa Waters ( NAVNAW ) , namely the shortage of U . S . escort vessels and a shortage of landing craft . While Wright was able to secure additional British escorts , landing craft would remain a persistent problem given the competing demands from Operation Overlord and the Pacific Theater of Operations , with Wright noting : " LST ' s don ' t grow on trees . " On the other hand , two developments were welcomed by Wright and his fellow invasion planners , including U . S . escort aircraft carriers ( CVE ) would provide much needed off - shore close air support for the landing force , and the news that Major General E . J . House would oversee tactical air support for the ground forces using aircraft from of the Northwest African Air Force . However , Wright felt that the Army ' s decision to forgo pre - invasion naval gun bombardment was ill - considered , even for the sake of maintaining the element of surprise . The invasion force got underway , with Vice Admiral H . Kent Hewitt , Wright , and the NAVNAW staff embarked on the USS " Ancon " , Hewitt ' s flagship for Operation Avalanche . While en route , Wright heard the announcement about the Armistice with Italy by General Dwight D . Eisenhower , the supreme allied commander , on September 9 . While this removed the Italian military from the battlefield , German Army forces in Italy under " Generalfeldmarschall " Albert Kesselring were not bound by this agreement . The immediate objective for Operation Avalanche was to secure the Gulf of Salerno and capture Naples . September 9 , 1943 was D - Day for Operation Avalanche as the 36th Infantry Division , under the command of Major General Fred L . Walker USA , stormed ashore at Salerno under heavy fire from German tanks , artillery , and machine guns . During the landings , on the morning of September 11 , Wright witnessed a radio - controlled flying bomb severely damage the , a light cruiser . A powerful German counter - attack on September 13 threatened to drive a wedge into the Salerno bridgehead , but it was beaten back by a powerful Allied air - land - sea assault , forcing a German retreat . With the Fifth U . S . Army under Lieutenant General Mark Clark driving for Naples , Admiral Hewitt and Wright returned to Malta to give a full report on Operation Avalanche to General Eisenhower . Captain Jerauld Wright was awarded a second Legion of Merit for his contributions on Operation Husky and Operation Avalanche . Central Pacific . USS " Santa Fe " ( CL - 60 ) . In October 1943 , Captain Jerauld Wright was detached from U . S . Naval Forces , Northwest Africa Waters ( NAVNAW ) to take command of the , a light cruiser , nicknamed the " Lucky Lady . " Wright relieved Captain Russell S . Berkey on December 15 , 1943 . " Santa Fe " was the flagship of Cruiser Division 13 , Rear Admiral Laurance T . DuBose commanding , which also included , , and . During December 1943 , " Santa Fe " underwent amphibious training off San Pedro , California . On January 13 , 1944 , " Santa Fe " set sail from California for the Marshall Islands , as part of the invasion force for Operation Flintlock . " Santa Fe " served as an escort for the Northern Attack Force ( Task Force 53 ) , Rear Admiral Richard L . Conolly commanding , which was tasked to capture Roi - Namur and the northern half of the Kwajalein atoll . " Santa Fe " joined the bombardment force ( Task Group 53 . 5 ) , Rear Admiral Jesse B . Oldendorf commanding , that provided naval gunfire support for U . S . Marine landing forces at Kwajalein which was secured on February 4 . Following a lay - over at Majuro , " Santa Fe " participated in air raids against Truk and Saipan as part of Task Force 58 during February 1944 . Captain Wright received a Letter of Commendation for his actions as the commanding officer of the " Santa Fe " during this engagement . From March 15 through May 1 , 1944 , " Santa Fe " was part of Task Group 58 . 2 , Rear Admiral Joseph J . Clark commanding , which provided air support for amphibious landings at Emirau Island and Hollandia while also participating in air raids against Japanese garrisons on Palau , Yap , Wakde , Woleai , Sawar , Satawan , and Ponape , as well as major air strike against the Japanese naval base at Truk . " Santa Fe " also participated in the shore bombardment of Wakde and Sawar . On June 15 , 1944 , " Santa Fe " participated in landings on Saipan , Guam , and Tinian ( Operation Forager ) as a part of the U . S . Fifth Fleet under the overall command of Vice Admiral Raymond A . Spruance . On June 19 , Japanese carrier aircraft began attacking the Fifth Fleet which remained close to the beachhead on orders from Spruance . Wright concurred that this controversial decision was the correct one given the importance of protecting the landing force . During the ensuing Battle of the Philippine Sea , " Santa Fe ' s " anti - aircraft guns helped to protect the fleet during these enemy air attacks while American naval aviators counter - attacked the Japanese fleet . Later , on June 20 , " Santa Fe " ignored possible Japanese submarine activity when she turned on her lights to help guide returning American aircraft back to their carriers during highly hazardous night landings . After air strikes on Pagan Island , " Santa Fe " returned to Eniwetok for reprovisioning . In August , " Santa Fe " joined Task Group 38 . 3 , Rear Admiral Frederick C . Sherman commanding , for the invasion of Peleliu and Angaur ( Operation Stalemate II ) as part of the U . S . Third Fleet under the overall command of Admiral William F . Halsey , and carrier air attacks to neutralize Japanese air bases on Babelthuap and Koro in preparation for the upcoming Philippines campaign led by General Douglas MacArthur . During air raids on Formosa in October , the heavy cruiser and light cruiser were seriously damaged by aerial torpedo es . " Santa Fe " was part of a covering force ( Task Force 30 . 3 ) , nicknamed " CripDiv 1 , " formed to protect the damaged cruisers as they were being towed back for Ulithi for repairs . The final engagements that Wright participated in as the commanding officer of the USS " Santa Fe " were the invasion of Leyte and the Battle of Leyte Gulf . Captain Jerauld Wright received the Silver Star in recognition of his participation in the towing of the " Canberra " and " Houston " back to Uliti . Amphibious Group Five . In November 1944 , Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright took command of Amphibious Group Five , a newly created unit of the Amphibious Forces , U . S . Pacific Fleet , commanded by Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner . Wright ' s group would be involved in the invasion of the Ryukyu Islands ( Operation Iceberg ) , the island of Okinawa being the key objective . Once taken , U . S . forces would use Okinawa as a staging area for the eventual invasion of Japan , and a base for the B - 29 Superfortress bombers of the U . S . Seventh Air Force to attack the Japanese home islands . Amphibious Group Five would transport the 2nd Marine Division , Major General Thomas E . Watson , USMC , commanding , with Wright flying his flag from the . For Operation Iceberg , Wright ' s force was designated Demonstration Group Charlie ( Task Group 51 . 2 ) , whose mission was to serve as a decoy force working in conjunction with the Southern Attack Force ( Task Force 55 ) commanded by Rear Admiral John L . Hall while the Western Islands Group ( Task Group 51 . 1 ) under Rear Admiral Ingolf N . Kiland and the 77th Infantry Division secured Kerama Retto and other offshore islands before landing at Ie Shima . Task Group 51 . 2 would subsequently serve as a floating reserve for the U . S . Tenth Army ( Task Force 56 ) , commanded by Lieutenant General Simon B . Buckner , USA , before returning to Saipan . Wright was ordered to Pearl Harbor to begin planning the invasion of the Japanese home islands , which would begin with Operation Olympic , the invasion of the southern island of Kyūshū . Wright ' s Amphibious Group Five would be part of the 5th Amphibious Force , commanded by Vice Admiral Harry W . Hill , which would land the V Amphibious Corps ( VAC ) on the west coast in the Kaminokawa – Kushikino area . Amphibious Group Five would consist of four old battleships , ten cruisers , fourteen destroyers , and seventy - four support craft . However , Operation Olympic and the follow - up invasion of Honshū ( Operation Coronet ) were cancelled following the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki . Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright was awarded a Bronze Star , with a combat " V " devise , for his leadership as the commander of Task Group 51 . 2 during Operation Iceberg . Cruiser Division Six . Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright took command of Cruiser Division Six ( CruDiv 6 ) , with the , a heavy cruiser , serving as his flagship . In early October 1945 , CruDiv 6 was assigned to assist the post - surrender activities and general - purpose peace - keeping duties throughout the Yellow Sea and Gulf of Bohai region as a unit of the U . S Seventh Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Thomas C . Kinkaid . Wright ' s force showed the flag , making port visits at , Tientsin , Tsingtao , Port Arthur , and Chinwangtao . At the final port call at Inchon , Wright acted as the senior - ranking member of the committee that accepted the surrender of Japanese naval forces throughout Korea . Cold War . Operational Readiness Division . In October 1945 , Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright joined the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations ( OPNAV ) as the head of its Operational Readiness Division , helping to organize this newly created organization . Other OPNAV divisions created were Plans ( OP - 31 ) , Combat Intelligence ( OP - 32 ) , Operations ( OP - 33 ) , and Anti - submarine Warfare ( OP - 35 ) within the Chief of Naval Operations . Wright organized OP - 34 into four sections , and working with his sister divisions , Wright directed the development of a host of manuals on tactical doctrine based upon experience from World War II . Wright involved civilian think tanks , such as the Operation Evaluation Group ( OEG ) , in projects undertaken by OP - 34 . CNO Fleet Admiral Chester W . Nimitz appointed Wright to chair the U . S . Navy ' s Air Defense Committee to help improve fleet air defenses . Wright also succeeded Rear Admiral Walter DeLaney as the chairman of the Joint Army - Navy Assessment Committee ( JANAC ) , an inter - service agency set up in 1943 to analyze and assess of Japanese naval and merchant marine shipping losses caused by U . S . and Allied forces during World War II . Commander Amphibious Forces U . S . Atlantic Fleet . On November 24 , 1948 , Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright assumed command of Amphibious Forces U . S . Atlantic Fleet ( COMPHIBLANT ) , a position that he held through November 1 , 1950 . Based at the Norfolk Naval Station , Wright would be responsible for three major subordinate commands , Amphibious Group Two , Amphibious Group Four and the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base . COMPHIBLANT also included Amphibious Training , an Amphibious Air Control Group , a Naval Beach Group , a Detached Group , and a Mediterranean Group . Wright ' s flagship was the , an " Adirondack " - class amphibious force command ship . The most significant accomplishment during Wright ' s tour of duty as COMPHIBLANT was PORTREX , a multi - service amphibious assault exercise held from February 25 to March 11 , 1950 . PORTREX was the largest peacetime amphibious exercise up to that time and it was staged to evaluate joint doctrine for combined operations , test new equipment under simulated combat conditions and provide training for the defense of the Caribbean . Over 65 , 000 men and 160 ships were involved , and it was climaxed by a combined amphibious and airborne assault on Vieques Island , a first in military history . The success of PORTREX offered a prelude for future amphibious operations , including the landings at Inchon during the Korean War . Jerauld Wright received his third star , effective September 14 , 1950 , at the conclusion of his tour of duty as COMPHIBLANT . Standing Group - North Atlantic Treaty Organization . Vice Admiral Jerauld Wright served as the deputy U . S . representative to Standing Group ( SG ) of the newly formed North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) , serving from November 1950 to February 1952 . The Standing Group was the standing planning organization under NATO ' s Military Committee , composed of military representatives from the United States , Great Britain , and France . At the time of Wright ' s tour of duty , SG membership was General of the Army Omar Bradley , United States Army , Air Marshal Lord Tedder , Royal Air Force and Lieutenant General Paul Ely , French Army The Standing Group was charged with providing policy guidance and military - related information to NATO ' s various regional planning groups , including General Dwight D . Eisenhower at SHAPE headquarters . The Standing Group undertook short - term ( STDP ) , mid - term ( MTDP ) , and long - range ( LTDP ) strategic military planning for the NATO alliance , as well as making recommendations regarding NATO ' s unified military command structure , which included the creation of a Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic ( SACLANT ) billet . Commander - in - Chief , U . S . Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean . Vice Admiral Jerauld Wright became the Commander - in - Chief , U . S . Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean ( CINCNELM ) , an important U . S . Navy fleet command , effective June 14 , 1952 . CINCELM ' s area of responsibility ( AOR ) stretched from the eastern Atlantic through the Indian Ocean to Singapore . Wright ' s operational control over the Sixth Fleet proved to be a source of friction with Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten , RN , NATO ' s Commander - in - Chief Allied Forces Mediterranean ( CINCAFMED ) . Mountbatten felt that the Sixth Fleet should be assigned to his command while Wright wanted to maintain control of the fleet , particularly its nuclear - armed aircraft carriers , pursuant to both U . S . Navy policy and Federal law . The dispute tested the diplomatic skills of both men . CINCNELM forces participated in NATO Operation Mariner and Operation Weldfast exercises during 1953 , and units of the Sixth Fleet did participate in NATO exercises while staying under U . S . control . As CINCNELM , Wright maintained strong diplomatic ties with allies within his area of responsibility . He made a 14 - day goodwill trip to the Middle East that culminated with a courtesy call with the newly crowned King Saud bin Abdul Aziz in Jidda , Saudi Arabia . Later , Wright attended the coronation ceremonies of King Hussein of Jordan in May 1953 . In June 1953 , Wright served as the senior U . S . Navy representative at the coronation pageant of Queen Elizabeth II , including flying his flag from the heavy cruiser USS " Baltimore " during the Coronation Naval Review of Spithead on June 15 . Admiral Wright also made the arrangements for U . S . Ambassador to the United Kingdom Winthrop Aldrich to present a bronze plaque of John Paul Jones from the U . S . Naval Historical Center to the British government , initiating his longtime association with the famous naval hero of the American Revolution . During a high - level conference in Washington from October 20 to November 4 , 1953 , Wright was informed that CINCNELM was to become a sub - ordinate command of the U . S . Atlantic Fleet reporting directly to Admiral Lynde D . McCormick , the Commander - in - Chief U . S . Atlantic Fleet ( CINCLANTFLT ) . Also , Wright would become the head of NATO ' s Eastern Atlantic Area , reporting to Admiral McCormick , the first Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic ( SACLANT ) . Jeruald Wright was promoted to the rank of Admiral effective April 1 , 1954 . Atlantic Command . Admiral Wright ' s final command assignment proved to be the most challenging undertaking in his career as he literally took on three concurrent roles , namely Commander - in - Chief of the U . S . Atlantic Fleet ( CINCLANTFLT ) , Commander - in - Chief of the U . S . Atlantic Command ( CINCLANT ) and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic ( SACLANT ) of NATO ' s Allied Command Atlantic ( ACLANT ) . While his nomination to become CINCLANTFLT and CINCLANT was made by the President of the United States , subject to the advice and consent of the United States Senate , Wright ' s appointment to become SACLANT was subject to the approval of the North Atlantic Council . Fortunately , Wright was a known commodity since he had served Wright had served as the deputy U . S . representative to NATO ' s Standing Group from November 1950 to February 1952 . President Dwight D . Eisenhower noted in his February 1 , 1954 announcement : Admiral Jerauld Wright assumed command of the U . S . Atlantic Fleet , the U . S . Atlantic Command , and Allied Command Atlantic on April 12 , 1954 , relieving Admiral Lynde D . McCormick who had been the first Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic . Command structure and responsibilities . Admiral Wright ' s command responsibilities included acting as Commander - in - Chief U . S . Atlantic Fleet ( CINCLANTFLT ) , one of the two major fleet commands within the U . S . Navy with responsibility for all naval operations throughout the Atlantic Ocean ; Commander - in - Chief U . S . Atlantic Command ( CINCLANT ) , a unified command responsible for U . S . military operation throughout the Atlantic Ocean geographical region ; and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic ( SACLANT ) , one of the two principal military commands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) , responsible for keeping the sea lanes open between the United States and Europe . Fleet modernization . Admiral Jerauld Wright inherited a U . S . Atlantic Fleet in transition as the U . S . Navy was going through a modernization period to replace warships and aircraft built during World War II . Fleet readiness . For Admiral Jerauld Wright , the best method to evaluate fleet readiness for the U . S . Atlantic Fleet was the staging and execution of naval exercises like Lantflex I - 57 . Among the high - level observers for this naval exercise were the President Dwight D . Eisenhower and many other members of the US cabinet . The highlight of Lantflex I - 57 was the landing of two A3D Sky Warriors and two F8U Crusaders on board the that had been launched from the operating in the $ 3 , the first carrier - to - carrier transcontinental flight in history . Other Atlantic Fleet exercises included Operation Springboard , the annual winter naval maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea . Units of the U . S . Atlantic Fleet and the Royal Canadian Navy participated in Operation Sweep Clear III , a bilateral mine warfare exercise , between July and August 1958 . Also , in 1960 , the U . S . Atlantic Fleet initiated UNITAS , an annual multilateral series of exercises between the South Atlantic Force ( SOLANTFOR ) and Latin America n navies . As SACLANT , Wright coordinated such NATO naval exercises as Operation Sea Watch , a convoy escort exercise . However , the most significant naval exercise during Admiral Wright ' s tour of duty was Operation Strikeback , a ten - day exercise involving over 250 , 000 men , 300 ships , and 1 , 500 aircraft during September 1957 , which was the largest naval exercise staged by NATO up to that time . Under Admiral Wright , the U . S . Atlantic Fleet also took the lead on the field of operational testing and evaluation ( OT & E ) of systems and tactics , particularly regarding anti - submarine warfare for the United States Navy , with the Operational Development Force ( OPDEVFOR ) , under the command of Rear Admiral William D . Irvin , serving as the lead agency for this effort . Finally , in February 1959 , when several transatlantic cables off Newfoundland were cut and the Soviet fishing trawler MV " Novorossisk " operating in the vicinity at the time of the break , the radar - picket ASW destroyer was dispatched to enforce the 1884 Convention for the Protection of Submarine Cables . On the August 26 , the " Hale " sent a boarding party to the " Novorossisk " to investigate and determined that there were no indications of intentions " other than fishing . " A diplomatic protest was lodged , but there were no more breaks . Anti - submarine warfare . Admiral Jerauld Wright stated in a " Time " magazine article from 1958 that : " The primary mission of every combat ship in the Atlantic Fleet is antisubmarine . Everything else is secondary . " Given his previous exposure to anti - submarine warfare ( ASW ) doctrine at OP - 34 , Wright was a natural fit for overseeing the anti - submarine renaissance during his tour of duty as CINCLANTFLT . One significant innovation was the Sound Surveillance System ( SOSUS ) , a network of underwater hydrophones and listening posts designed to track the movement of submarines . The first operational test of SOSUS was done during the ASDevEx 1 - 54 exercise from April 6 to June 7 , 1954 . However , 1958 news accounts about the growing threat of the Soviet snorkel - equipped diesel - electric submarine force began to gain the attention of the American public . Central Intelligence Agency Director Allen Dulles was reported to have said that ten missile - carrying Soviet submarines could destroy 1600 square miles ( 4144 km² ) of the industrial - rich eastern seaboard in a sneak attack . Also , an Associated Press dispatch , dated April 14 , 1958 , quoted U . S . Congressman Carl Durham ( D - North Carolina , who said that 184 Soviet submarines had been sighted off the U . S . Atlantic coast during 1957 . Chief of Naval Operations ( CNO ) Arleigh A . Burke had responded on April 1 by creating Task Force Alfa , a hunter - killer ( HUK ) flotilla under the command of Rear Admiral John S . Thach , which would develop new ASW tactics to counter this growing Soviet submarine threat . Admiral Wright ' s personal contribution provided the first look at a missile - armed Soviet submarine , a Project AV611 / Zulu - V variant armed with two R - 11FM / SS - 1b Scud - A ballistic missiles . Wright also spearheaded the establishment of the SACLANT ASW Research Centre , created on May 2 , 1959 in La Spezia , Italy , to serve as a clearinghouse for NATO ' s anti - submarine efforts . The efforts of the Atlantic Fleet to develop and implement new ASW tactics during Admiral Wright ' s tour of duty laid the groundwork for the success that the U . S . Navy had in locating and tracking Soviet submarines during the Cuban Missile Crisis . Showing the flag . One example of soft power regarding sea power is showing the flag . In his capacity as CINCLANT / CINCLANTFLT / SACLANT , Admiral Wright and his staff participated 18 formal presentations and 62 NATO and joint military planning meetings during his six - year tour of duty in these positions . Final change of command and retirement . The White House announced on December 31 , 1959 , that Admiral Jerauld Wright was stepping down as CINCLANTFLT / CINCLANT / SACLANT , with President Dwight D . Eisenhower reflect wider sentiment when he noted : On February 29 , 1960 , Admiral Jerauld Wright stepped down as CINCLANTFLT / CINCLANT / SACLANT , retiring after 46 years of service in the United States Navy effective March 1 , 1960 . Admiral Wright received a second Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his six - year as CINCLANTFLT / CINCLANT / SACLANT from Secretary of the Navy William B . Franke in a special ceremony held on board the supercarrier USS " Independence " ( CVA - 62 ) . Dates of rank . All DOR referenced from Official U . S . Navy Biography . Awards and decorations . Other awards and decorations . In addition , over the course of his career Wright received | World War I Victory Medal ( Patrol Clasp ) , American Defense Service Medal ( Fleet Clasp ) , European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal , Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal , World War II Victory Medal , National Defense Service Medal , the Legion of Honor ( with rank of Chevalier ) from the Government of France , and the Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Orange - Nassau from the Government of the Netherlands . Recall to duty . CIA Board of National Estimates . Admiral Jerauld Wright was recalled to active duty on January 12 , 1961 to serve as the U . S . Navy representative on the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) Board of National Estimates ( BNE ) , and after completing his BNE assignment , and was released from active duty effective May 13 , 1963 . The Office of National Estimates ( ON / E ) had been created in 1950 and was responsible for issuing National Intelligence Estimate ( NIE ) , which " should deal with matters of wide scope relevant to the determination of basic policy , such as the assessment of a country ' s war potential , its preparedness for war , its strategy capabilities and intentions , its vulnerability to various forms of direct attack or indirect pressures . " The ON / E Board included prominent American citizens with distinguished intelligence , academic , military , and diplomatic credentials , who would oversee NIE documents . United States Ambassador to China ( Taiwan ) . Retired Admiral Jerauld Wright was contacted by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs W . Averell Harriman regarding the ambassadorship to the Republic of China in Taiwan . The current U . S . ambassador , retired Admiral Alan G . Kirk , was in declining health and had recommended Wright as his replacement . After discussing it with his family , Wright accepted . Ambassador Wright presented his credentials to President Chiang Kai - shek on June 29 , 1963 . Ambassador Wright won praise for his sensitive handling of the aftermath to the assassination of John F . Kennedy from both the embassy staff and government officials of the Republic of China . Wright also closely monitored the tense military situation between Taiwan and mainland China , particularly the potential flashpoint of Qemoy . Wright also successfully concluded a Status of Forces Agreement with the Republic of China . On July 25 , 1965 , Jerauld Wright stepped down as the U . S . Ambassador of the Republic of China , closing the final chapter on his public life . Personal . Family . The future wife of Admiral Jerauld Wright was born Phyllis B . Thompson on April 2 , 1906 , in New York City . She graduated from Miss Porter ' s School and made her debut in 1924 with Janet Lee , the future mother of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis . She worked for the Women ' s Organization for National Prohibition Reform ( WONPR ) in New York . In 1933 , Phyllis Thompson joined the Federal Alcohol Control Administration ( FACA ) in Washington , D . C . and subsequently worked , briefly , at the Federal Housing Administration ( FHA ) . In 1935 , she became the society editor for the " Washington Evening Star " . Phyllis Thompson meet Jerry Wright through his sister , Marjorie Wright Key , who had also attended Miss Porter ' s School . Their marriage took place at St . Andrew ' s Dune Church , in , on July 23 , 1938 , which Phyllis wrote as her last wedding notice for the " Washington Evening Star " as their society editor . Jerry and Phyllis Wright had two children — Marion Jerauld Wright ( 1941 - ) and William Mason Wright ( 1945 - ) . Phyllis Wright wrote about her experiences as a Navy wife and the wife of an ambassador in a " Navy Wife ' s Log " ( 1978 ) and a " Taiwan Scrapbook " ( 1992 ) She was a former president of the Sulgrave Club and a member of the Metropolitan and Chevy Chase clubs . Phyllis Thompson Wright died on October 20 , 2002 , at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda , Maryland , from cancer . She was survived by her two children , Marion Wright of Denver and William Wright of Arlington . She was interred with her late husband at the Arlington National Cemetery . Artwork . In retirement , Jerauld Wright pursued an interest in painting , whose whimsical style was similar to Grandma Moses . His artwork was displayed in exhibits at the Brook Club , the Knickerbocker Club , and the Sulgrave Club . Memberships . Admiral Jerauld Wright was a long - time member of the United States Naval Institute , serving as its president from 1959 – 1960 and was a frequent contributor to its " Proceedings " , including an insightful December 1951 article on the challenges facing the newly created NATO . Wright ' s other memberships included the Alibi Club , the Chevy Chase Club , the Metropolitan Club , the Knickerbocker Club , the Brook Club , Alfalfa Club , and the United States Navy League . Death . Admiral Jerauld Wright , United States Navy ( ret . ) , died on April 27 , 1995 , of pneumonia in Washington , D . C . , at the age of 96 . He was survived by his wife of 56 years , Phyllis ; a son , William Mason Wright of Arlington ; and a daughter , Marion Jerauld Wright of Denver . He was buried with full military honors in Section 2 of the Arlington National Cemetery next to his father and mother , and would be joined by his wife Phyllis upon her death in 2002 . Legacy . Honorary degrees . Admiral Jerauld Wright received honorary degrees from the Rose Polytechnic Institute , the University of Massachusetts Amherst , and the William and Mary College . Wright Island . Wright Island ( ) is an ice - covered island 35 miles ( 60 km ) long , lying at the north edge of Getz Ice Shelf about midway between Carney Island and Martin Peninsula , on the Bakutis Coast , Marie Byrd Land . Delineated from air photos taken by U . S . Navy Operation Highjump in January 1947 , it was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names ( US - ACAN ) after Admiral Jerauld Wright who was in over - all command of Operation Deep Freeze during the International Geophysical Year 1957 - 58 . Jerauld Wright Award . In light of the growing threat of Soviet submarine activity within his command area , as well as in retaliation for the recent aggressive depth - charging of the near Vladivostok , Admiral Wright issued the following challenge : On May 29 , 1959 , the , a working in conjunction with Patrol Squadron 5 ( VP - 5 ) , chased a Soviet submarine near Iceland for nine hours before forcing it to surface , and its commanding officer , Lt . Commander Theodore F . Davis , received the case of whiskey from Admiral Wright and the distinction of being the first to surface a Soviet submarine by the U . S . Navy . Admiral Wright Award would be presented , with an accompanying case of whiskey , on two other occasions : John Paul Jones Cottage Museum . Retired admirals Jerauld Wright and Sir Nigel Henderson , RN , spearheaded the effort to restore the Scottish birthplace of John Paul Jones back to its original 1747 condition . The cottage that houses a museum dedicated to the life and accomplishments of John Paul Jones was opened in 1993 , and it is situated on the original location on the estate of Arbigland in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright .