Command Judgment

Command Judgment. . , Nimitz's intelligence personnel, decoding Japanese message traffic in early May 1942, determined Japan would attack Midway Island soon. Not convinced, Navy headquarters in Washington believed Japan would strike in other areas. , Even while pressured from above, Nimitz trusted his intelligence staff and supported their assessment. Nimitz's staff found a way to prove their bold assumption. , The full story of the Code Breaking and the Battle of Midway is told in the George H.W. Bush Gallery. , Respect for Subordinates , On 30 June 1942 Admiral Nimitz was a passenger aboard a seaplane that crashed in San Francisco Bay. Slightly injured and wrapped in a blanket, Nimitz stood in the stern of the crash boat as it pulled away from the plane. , "Sit down, you!" yelled the coxswain. When Nimitz obeyed, the sailor caught sight of his uniform sleeve with more gold stripes than he had ever seen before. He reddened and tried to apologize. "Stick to your guns, sailor, " said Nimitz gently, "You were quite right." , From Nimitz by E.B. Potter, Physical Fitness , Reflecting on Chester's father's physical frailty, his cousin, Guenther Henke, later recalled their time together as young boys. , "Nothing stands out more than his utter determination to remain physically fit.", Nimitz continued his physical fitness program throughout his career. He took long walks and played golf and tennis.