Clifton Sprague Vice Admiral Clifton Albert Frederick ( " Ziggy " ) Sprague ( January 8 , 1896 – April 11 , 1955 ) was a World War II - era officer in the United States Navy . Biography . Sprague was born in Dorchester , Massachusetts , and attended the Roxbury Latin School , and the United States Naval Academy in June 1914 , graduating 43rd out of a class of 199 . There he was given the nickname " Ziggy " ( although no relation to Admiral Thomas L . Sprague , the two both attended the Naval Academy , later graduating from the same class ) . Due to the American involvement in World War I he received his commission as an ensign one year early on June 28 , 1917 , finishing forty - third out of 199 . His wife was the sister of " The Great Gatsby " author F . Scott Fitzgerald . World War I . His first assignment was on the gunboat where he served as Gunnery Officer , Communications Officer , Navigator , and Executive Officer . " Wheeling " served as a convoy escort in the Atlantic and Mediterranean during the war . While assigned to " Wheeling " he was promoted to lieutenant ( junior grade ) and lieutenant . After the war in October 1919 , Sprague was assigned as the reserve Commanding Officer of the destroyer for two months . Thereafter he was assigned to the new battleship and served as 6th Broadside Battery Officer for one year . 1920 to 1940 - Naval Aviator . On December 3 , 1920 , Sprague joined 33 other classmates at Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida as a student pilot . His first flight was on January 11 , 1921 , when he piloted a Curtiss N - 9 aircraft for twenty minutes . Sprague earned the designation Naval Aviator No . 2934 on August 11 , 1921 . Due to his great proficiency within two months he was designated as Commanding Officer of Aircraft Squadron 3 at Pensacola . From March 1922 to November 1923 , Sprague was assigned to Aircraft Squadron VS - 1 with the Atlantic Fleet based on the seaplane tender . He reported to his next duty station Naval Air Station Anacostia , near Washington , D . C . , in November 1923 where he served as a Test Pilot , Operations Officer , and Executive Officer . As a Test Pilot he conducted experimental and research work at the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , in 1923 , where he contributed to the development of aircraft carrier catapult systems . From March 1926 to February 1928 he assisted inventor Carl Norden in the laboratory and as a Test Pilot at Naval Air Station Hampton Roads , Virginia , with improvements to the Mark - 1 aircraft carrier arresting gear system for and . Sprague reported to " Lexington " in March 1928 where he assumed the duties of Flight Deck Officer and Assistant Air Officer . In January 1929 " Lexington " along with and " Saratoga " participated in Fleet Problem IX , a simulated aerial attack on the Panama Canal . Sprague ' s tour on " Lexington " ended in April 1929 . Returning to the U . S . Naval Academy in May 1929 Sprague served as Executive Officer of VN - 8 - D5 . On June 10 , 1930 he was promoted to lieutenant commander . His tour at the Naval Academy ended in November 1931 . Sprague served as Squadron Commander of VP - 8 in Panama in December 1931 to April 1934 . The squadron was based on the seaplane tender homeported at the Norfolk Navy Yard . In 1933 the squadron was moved to Hawaii where Sprague became the first Navy Pilot to fly a thirteen - hour round - trip from Hawaii to Midway Island in February 1934 . From May 1934 to July 1936 , Sprague served as Air Operations Officer at Naval Air Station Norfolk , Virginia , where his department serviced several aircraft carrier squadrons . In July 1936 , Sprague was assigned to the newly constructed aircraft carrier as Air Officer . After her commissioning , he piloted the first two landings ever made on " Yorktown " . In addition , he was the first pilot to test the catapult system on " Yorktown " . Sprague was promoted to commander in December 1937 . He spent all of 1938 managing the Air Department and aircraft squadrons on " Yorktown " . In February 1939 " Yorktown " participated in Fleet Problem XX in the Caribbean . Shortly thereafter Sprague left the carrier in June 1939 . Sprague was ordered to the Naval War College in Newport , Rhode Island , in June 1939 where he spent three months in study before reporting to his first sea command , the 21 - year old oil tanker at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Bremerton , Washington . Sprague commanded " Patoka " until June 1940 when he was sent back to the Naval War College for two more months of study . World War II . At Oakland , California , Sprague took command of the cargo ship which was being converted into a seaplane tender in July 1940 . " Tangier " was commissioned on August 25 , 1941 and shortly thereafter transited to Bremerton , Washington to load torpedoes . At her homeport in Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , " Tangier " was mated with Fleet Patrol Wing Two . " Tangier " was berthed at F - 10 on the Northwest side of Ford Island on the morning of December 7 , 1941 . She was one of the first ships in the harbor to open fire and engaged several Japanese aircraft throughout the morning . " Tangier " was credited with downing three aircraft . As a result of his leadership at Pearl Harbor , Sprague was promoted to captain on January 3 , 1942 . In early 1942 " Tangier " saw service at New Caledonia . Sprague was assigned as Air Officer of Gulf Sea Frontier , Miami , Florida in June 1942 . His duties involved improving defenses , keeping the sea lanes open , and countering the German U - boat s on the Southeast coast of the United States . Upon achieving his goals he was transferred in March 1943 . In April 1943 , Sprague was transferred to Naval Air Center , Seattle , Washington , where he served as Commander of the base and nearby Naval Air Station Sand Point . This duty ended abruptly when he was assigned as the Commanding Officer of the newly constructed fast fleet carrier in October 1943 . Arriving at Bethlehem Steel Company Fore River Yard near Boston , Massachusetts , Sprague took command of " Wasp " where she was commissioned on November 24 , 1943 . The carrier was quickly sent to the Pacific where she joined the war against the Japanese . Her first combat missions were to destroy enemy aircraft , installations , and surface craft on Marcus and Wake Islands in May 1944 . In June 1944 " Wasp " participated in the invasion of Saipan and the Battle of the Philippine Sea . On July 9 , 1944 , shortly before leaving " Wasp " , Sprague was promoted to rear admiral at age 48 . Sprague was designated as Commander Carrier Division 25 on July 23 , 1944 with his flag in , replacing Rear Admiral Gerald F . Bogan . In September 1944 his Task Unit supported the Morotai landing . Sprague ' s greatest achievement came on October 25 , 1944 when his Task Unit 77 . 4 . 3 ( Taffy III ) consisting of 6 escort carriers , 3 destroyers , and 4 destroyer escorts fought off the vastly superior Japanese Center Force at the Battle off Samar . The Japanese force consisted of 4 battleships , 6 heavy cruisers , 2 light cruisers , and 11 destroyers off the Samar Island in the Philippines . The Taffy CVE pilots bombed , strafed , and made dry run s while the Destroyers first laid smoke to cover the carriers , then made torpedo runs on the battleships and cruisers of Center Force then fought toe - to - toe gun duels with them . For the leadership he displayed in this incident , he received the Navy Cross . On February 19 , 1945 , Sprague assumed command of Carrier Division 26 embarked on for the invasion of Iwo Jima where his unit provided close air support for the Marines ashore . The next month he moved his flag back to " Fanshaw Bay " for the invasion of Okinawa . In April 1945 , Sprague was given command of Carrier Division 2 , a fast carrier Task Group and moved his flag to on June 1 , 1945 . His Task Group operated against the Japanese home islands of Kyūshū , Honshū , and Hokkaidō . Sprague received the notification of the end of hostilities while steaming 151 miles off the eastern coast of Honshū on August 15 , 1945 . Four days after the Japanese surrender , Sprague and " Ticonderoga " entered Tokyo Bay . Post War - Operation Crossroads and final duties . Sprague returned to the West Coast onboard in November 1945 . He spent the next month in Washington , D . C . briefing Naval leaders at the White House . In February 1946 , Sprague was given command of Navy Air Group 1 . 6 of Joint Task Force 1 with his flag in at San Diego , California . During the next six months he supported the naval aviation forces in Operation Crossroads nuclear tests on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands . At Corpus Christi , Texas , Sprague was assigned as Chief of Naval Air Basic Training in August 1946 . In January 1948 he was redesignated as Commander , Naval Air Advanced Training . His tour ended in April 1948 . Sprague ' s last seagoing command was as Commander , Carrier Division 6 with his flag in from May to October 1948 . During this tour " Kearsarge " operated in the Mediterranean . On January 1 , 1949 to February 1950 , Sprague was Commander of Naval Air Bases , Eleventh and Twelfth Naval District at Naval Air Station Coronado in San Diego , California . Reassigned in March 1950 , Sprague was moved to Alaska where he served as Commandant , Seventeenth Naval District and Commander , Alaskan Sea Frontier on Kodiak Island . It was from here that he embarked on a B - 29 and became the first U . S . Navy admiral to fly over the North Pole on November 12 , 1950 . Retirement and death . On August 9 , 1951 , Sprague requested voluntary retirement from the Navy and was officially retired on November 1 , 1951 . As was custom at the time , he was advanced to vice admiral at retirement in recognition of his Navy Cross . He had spent 34 years , 4 months , and 4 days on active duty . In March 1955 , Sprague fell ill of a weak heart and was moved to the Naval Hospital , San Diego , California . On April 11 , 1955 , 59 - year - old Sprague died from a massive heart attack . Two days later he was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at Point Loma , San Diego , California . Decorations . Here is the ribbon bar of Vice Admiral Clifton Sprague : Namesake . The " Oliver Hazard Perry " - class guided - missile frigate was named after Vice Admiral Sprague . The unclassified citation for the Navy Cross was in the wardroom until shortly before decommissioning .