This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Montgomery, Alfred Eugene, VADM USN(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Last Address Seattle, WA
Date of Passing Dec 15, 1961
Location of Interment Holyrood Catholic Cemetery - Shoreline, Washington
Wall/Plot Coordinates Section M, Lot 634, Site 1
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
MONTGOMERY, ALFRED E.
Citation:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Alfred E. Montgomery, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Officer in Tactical Command of a U.S. Navy Carrier Task Group, in action against enemy Japanese forces near Saipan on 21 February 1944. Rear Admiral Montgomery maneuvered his group in an excellent manner when attacked by enemy torpedo and bombing planes. Eight Japanese planes were destroyed at night by screen ships' gunfire and nine more were destroyed by ship's gunfire and combat air patrol the following morning. In the face of these determined attached Rear Admiral Montgomery launched aircraft from his carriers and they delivered repeated attacks on shipping, aircraft and shore installations on and in the vicinity of Saipan. This action and retirement were completed without damage to the ships of his task group. Rear Admiral Montgomery's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.
Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 331 (October 1944)
Born: June 12, 1891 at Omaha, Nebraska
Home Town: Piedmont, California
Other Comments:
VADM Montgomery was one of only 5 survivors of the sinking ot USS F-1 (SS-20) in 1917.
If anyone has any photos or other information on VADM Montgomery please contact me.
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/New Guinea Campaign (1943-44)
From Month/Year
January / 1943
To Month/Year
December / 1944
Description The last obstacle in liberating all of New Guinea island was the Vogelkop Peninsula in Dutch New Guinea. The Japanese resistance on the peninsula gathered at Manokwari, and MacArthur did not wish to contest with this force. Instead, his "hit 'em where they ain't" strategy took the Allied forces to a number of undefended beaches near Cape Opmaria and Sansapor. Like Rabaul, the 25,000 men at Manokwari were now stranded, frustratingly idling uselessly.
In Sep 1944, Allied troops occupied the Halmahera Islands, concluding the New Guinea Campaign. MacArthur was now only several hundred miles from the Philippines. In his memoir, MacArthur attributed to the Allied victory over New Guinea to mobility and the ability to achieve surprise at key confrontations. Additionally, he also insisted that his refusal to deploy military governors over conquered regions helped his command focus on the task at hand. Instead, he brought in Dutch and Australian civil administrators immediately after the area had been deemed secure. "The success of this method was reflected in the complete lack of friction between the various governments concerned", he noted.
Although Allied attention would move toward the Philippine Islands by this time, small pockets of Japanese resistance would continue to fight until late May 1945.