John G . Crommelin Rear Admiral John Geraerdt Crommelin , Jr . ( October 2 , 1902 – November 2 , 1996 ) was a prominent United States Navy officer and later a frequent political candidate who championed white supremacy . Early life and naval career . Born in Montgomery , Alabama as eldest of five brothers , he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis , Maryland in 1923 . Previously he grew up in Montgomery and in Elmore County , Alabama . He saw combat at the Pacific during World War II . All of his brothers also graduated from the US Naval Academy and two of them were killed in action during World War II . Crommelin earned a reputation as a courageous and skillful naval aviator , and the nickname " bomb - run John " . He served as an executive officer as well as air officer aboard the " Enterprise " and was chief of staff aboard the carrier " Liscombe Bay " when it was sunk in the Makin Island campaign off the Gilbert Islands . In 1946 , Captain Crommelin was given command of America ' s newest and most modern aircraft carrier of the time , the . In 1949 he served at Navy headquarters in The Pentagon at the rank of captain . He became there a vocal critic of military politics , warning of the dangers of concentrating military authority in the hands of a few , despite being in active service . Captain Crommelin publicly complained that the Defense Department was scuttling naval air power and showing improper favor to the Air Force , and that " a Prussian General Staff system of the type employed by Hitler " was being imposed on the armed forces under unification . Crommelin was publicly reprimanded by Admiral Forrest P . Sherman , then Chief of Naval Operations , for making public confidential Navy letters linking top admirals to active opposition against unification . He was transferred to San Francisco , California . After he continued his criticism in the face of orders to keep silent , he was ordered by Admiral Sherman to be furloughed at half pay , beginning early in 1950 . His activity and views became publicly well - known . In 1950 The New York Times ' s military affairs expert Hanson W . Baldwin wrote that Captain Crommelin was a " stormy petrel who wouldn ' t shut up . " Others consider him another " Eagle of the Sea " plucked by " The harpies of the shore . . . " . Crommelin retired from active duty with the rank of Rear Admiral in May 1950 , after 30 years of service . He went to operate a part of his family plantation , named Harrogate Springs , in Elmore County , raising a variety of crops . , the twenty - eighth ship of the " Oliver Hazard Perry " class of guided - missile frigate s , is named for the Crommelin brothers , although inclusion of John G . is presently considered politically incorrect although his photograph appears with his brothers on the military website . Despite his later misguided political efforts , he is still recognized as a naval hero . Political activity . Although he was widely praised and credited for his courage in speaking out for his views and for his previous distinguished combat career , Crommelin ' s reputation suffered from his later political involvement . He was an open and unashamed racist , segregationist and anti - Semite , even when such sentiments were becoming less fashionable in Alabama . Alongside his Senatorial and Gubernatorial bids in Alabama , he was nominated for by the minor far - right National States ' Rights Party ( not to be confused with the more moderate Dixiecrat s ) , as the running mate of Governor of Arkansas Orval Faubus . During the United States presidential election of 1968 he ran in the Democratic New Hampshire primary , winning only 186 votes ( 0 . 34 % ) and finishing fifth . None of his electoral bids was successful . He married Lillian E . Landis in 1930 . They had two daughters and one son . Electoral history . Alabama United States Senate election , 1950 Democratic primary for the U . S . Senate from Alabama , 1956 Alabama gubernatorial election , 1958 ( Democratic primary ) Democratic primary for the U . S . Senate from Alabama , 1960 United States presidential election , 1960 Democratic primary for the U . S . Senate from Alabama , 1962 Democratic primary for the U . S . Senate from Alabama , 1966 United States presidential election , 1968 ( Democratic primaries )