Legacy

Legacy. Admiral Chester Nimitz. , In his biography of Nimitz, E.B. Potter wrote,, "In a sense Nimitz had spent his whole life preparing for the post of Commander in Chief Pacific. He was, probably as much as any commander in history, a self-created officer. Evidence suggests that, observing the qualities of commanders under whom he served, he conceived the image of an ideal officer and consciously molded himself to that image. Yet the raw material with which he began was never obliterated. Always discernible in his character and personality was his from the mercurial Nimitzes and from mother's family, the solid, hard-working Henkes.", These qualities of leadership allowed Nimitz to mold strong willed subordinates into one of the most effective fighting forces in history and lead them to victory over Japan. , "They knew him by reputation as an officer who had wielded enormous power without arrogance or ostentation, a forceful leader who had remained simple, friendly, and approachable while commanding millions of men." , -E.B. Potter, Caption: Caisson bearing Fleet Admiral Nimitz passing a US Coast Guardsman, February 1966. (Official United States Navy Photograph)