Selflessness

Selflessness. Admiral Chester Nimitz. In early 1941, President Roosevelt asked Nimitz to become the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet. Nimitz turned down the offer because it would have advanced him ahead of over 50 senior officers. He knew this would foster ill will and impair his ability to command. , Humility , When the Nimitz Museum opened in the 1960s, it intended to honor Fleet Admiral Nimitz. Nimitz agreed to allow his name to be used only if the museum was dedicated to all the men and women who served with him. , Caption: , Fleet Admiral Nimitz holding the key to the city of Fredericksburg during Nimitz Day celebrations in 1945. (Nimitz Education and Research Center) , Keeping Faith , Nimitz was offered many high salaried positions in industry and education after settling in California. He turned them all down because he was loath to even create the appearance that he was trading his past public position for personal gain, especially where his role had involved life or death for others. , "He had this very strong feeling that he represented the Navy to a lot of people who had lost relatives in the Pacific War, and that it would somehow undermine their feeling for the Navy..." , explained his son Chet.