This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Robert Cox, YNCS
to remember
Stump, Felix Budwell, ADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia
Last Address Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland
Date of Passing Jun 13, 1972
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Felix Stump graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1917, and was the Captain of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington during World War II, participating in the battles of the Gilbert Islands, Wake Island, the Marshalls and the Marianas. He later commanded a carrier task force during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. After the war, Stump was the Captain of the aircraft carrier Enterprise. From 1952 until his retirement in 1958, he was the commander of the Pacific Fleet.
I created this profile of Admiral Stump as part of my research on the Battle Off Samar. Stump was the Commander of American Task Unit 77.4.2 (Taffy II). The little escort carriers (CVEs) he commanded were an integral part of winning the war in the Pacific.
Other Comments:
The Spruance-class destroyer USS Stump (DD-978)) was named in his honor.
A native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, he was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1913; graduated in March 1917.
Served in the gunboat YORKTOWN (PG-1)and cruiser CINCINNATI (C-7) during World War 1 in the Atlantic. After the war he served in the battleship ALABAMA (BB-8).
Attended flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola in 1920-1921 followed by postgraduate instruction in Aeronautical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Was a Naval Flight Officer in Torpedo Squadron 2 (VT-2) "Doer Birds" of the experimental carrier USS LANGLEY (CV-1).
Commanded Cruiser Scouting Wing in 1928-1929 and served on the Staff of Commander Cruisers, Scouting Fleet in 1930-1931.
Was Commanding Officer of SARATOGA's Scout-Bombing Squadron 2 (VSB-2) in 1936-1937.
Served as Navigator of LEXINGTON (CV-2) and Executive Officer of ENTERPRISE (CV-6).
At the outbreak of World War 2 he was Commanding Officer of LANGLEY (CV-1) in Manila Bay, Philippines. In January 1942 he was transferred to the Staff of the Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet for which he was awarded the U.S. Army's Distinguished Service Medal.
In 1942 he served as Air Officer for Commander Western Sea Frontier before taking command of the new carrier LEXINGTON (CV-16). Participated in operations against Kwajalein, Gilbert and Marshall Island Campaign, air strikes on Truk, and the Battle for the Marianas Islands.
Carrier Division 24 of Task Unit 77.4.2 (Taffy II) at Leyte Gulf and Samar embarked in NATOMA BAY (CVE-62) in October 1944. For this action he was awarded the Navy Cross.
Completed the war as Commander Carrier Division 24 embarked in Corregidor (CVE-58) in 1945. For this action he was awarded a second Navy Cross.
Was Chief of Naval Air Technical Training Command from May 1945 to December 1948.
Served successively as Commander in Chief, Pacific and Commander U.S. Pacific Fleet until his retirement, effective August 1, 1958.
After his retirement, he was appointed to the position of Vice Chairman of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Please visit my Battle Off Samar famous Naval officer profiles:
Other Memories USS Corregidor (CVE-58) was an Casablanca class escort carrier of the United States Navy.
She was laid down as Auguilla Bay (AVG-58) was reclassified ACV-58, 20 August 1942 and launched as Corregidor on 12 May 1943 by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, of Vancouver, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. J. Hallett. She was reclassified CVE-58 on 15 July 1943, acquired by the Navy on 31 August 1943; and commissioned the same day, with Captain R. L. Bowman in command.
Clearing San Diego, California, on 26 October 1943, Corregidor joined Carrier Division 24 at Pearl Harbor for air strikes in the Gilbert Islands invasion from 10 November to 6 December. She returned to San Diego to undergo repairs and load aircraft and men, then resumed operations out of Pearl Harbor with her division. From 22 January to 3 March 1944, she sailed in the Marshalls operation, providing air cover for the invasion of Kwajalein.
Corregidor put to sea on 11 March 1944 for Guadalcanal, arriving there on 21 March. With the Third Fleet, she sortied on 30 March to provide air cover for the landings on Emirau Island, returning to Port Purvis on 14 April. Two days later, she sailed to join the 7th Fleet for air operations at Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) between 22 April and 26 April, then put in to Manus Island for replenishment and antisubmarine patrols until 4 May. Embarking Commander, Carrier Division 24 for the Marianas operation, Corregidor provided combat air patrols and anti-aircraft support for the invasion of Saipan from 15 June to 25 June, with her aircraft accounting for at least eight enemy planes. She covered the logistics force off Eniwetok from 1 July to 3 July, then aided in the softening up bombardment of Guam and provided air cover for the invasion, until 28 July when she returned to San Diego for overhaul.
She worked on qualifying pilots in carrier operations at Pearl Harbor from 12 October until 21 November 1944. On 26 October, she formed as a hunter-killer group with Escort Division 64, around to check out reported enemy submarine movements between Pearl Harbor and California. On 2 January 1945, this group moved to patrol the area between Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok to protect heavy Allied shipping, returning to Pearl Harbor on 13 February.
Corregidor sailed from Pearl Harbor on 27 February to search for an overdue plane carrying Lieutenant General M. F. Harmon, USA, arriving at Majuro on 20 March. From 21 March to 27 April, she conducted an anti-submarine patrol in the vicinity of Japanese-held Wotje and Maloelap in the Marshalls, then off Eniwetok.
Returning to Pearl Harbor on 4 May 1945, Corregidor was assigned duty as a training ship in Hawaii, conducting carrier pilot qualifications until the end of the war. From 2 October 1945 to 10 January 1946, she alternated this duty with three voyages from Pearl Harbor to San Diego to return homeward-bound servicemen. Corregidor cleared San Diego on 18 January 1946 for Norfolk, Virginia, arriving there on 4 February. Here she was placed out of commission in reserve on 30 July 1946.
Recommissioned on 19 May 1951, Corregidor was assigned to operate with the Military Sea Transportation Service. She ferried men, aircraft, and aviation cargo to NATO nations under the Mutual Defense Assistance Plan, but also made five voyages through the Panama Canal to bring men and cargo to the United Nations forces in Korea in 1952, 1953, and 1954. Corregidor was reclassified CVU-58 on 12 June 1955. When the Lebanon crisis broke in the summer of 1958, Corregidor was at Brindisi, Italy, and immediately lifted two reconnaissance planes of the 24th Infantry Regiment, and 10 helicopters to support the landings in Lebanon. Returning to the United States, Corregidor was decommissioned on 4 September 1958, and sold for scrap on 28 April 1959.
Corregidor received four battle stars for World War II service.
