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Contact Info
Home Town Mobile, Alabama
Last Address Perryville, Maryland
Date of Passing Apr 03, 1982
Location of Interment U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) - Annapolis, Maryland
Alfred Gustave Ward was born in Mobile, Alabama, 29 November 1908, son of Mrs. C.T. Hamilton and the late B.E. Ward. He graduated from the US Naval Academy and was commissioned Ensign, US Navy, 2 June 1932. He graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master of Science Degree in electrical engineering in June 1940. He graduated from the Naval War College in 1954. He was promoted to Read Admiral on 1 August 1957; to Vice Admiral on 1 August 1961 and to Admiral on 27 March 1965.
Prior to and during World War II, Admiral Ward served afloat in battleships, cruisers, and destroyers. Following World War II, prior to selection to flag rank, Admiral Ward served in various destroyer command and staff billets. Since promotion to flag rank Admiral Ward held significant command and planning assignments as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans and Policy and Deputy Director of Naval Operations for Fleet Operations and Readiness. His most historic assignment was as Commander, US Second Fleet. In this assignment he commanded United States forces which enforced the Cuban quarantine in October of 1962. Admiral Ward was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and subsequently a Gold Star in lieu of a second award for duty in World War II on board the USS North Carolina. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for duty as Commander, United States Second Fleet during the Cuban quarantine operations. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for duty as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans and Policy and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Operations.
Admiral Ward had duty as United States Representative to the NATO Military Committee in Washington, DC, and upon its relocation in Brussels, Belgium, from 1 April 1965 until relieved of active duty pending his retirement, effective 1 August 1968. "For exceptionally meritorious service..." in that capacity, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of the Second Distinguished Service Medal.
In addition to the above awards, Admiral Ward had the Navy Commendation Medal; American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asia Clasp; China Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal with bronze star; and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba).
Description The blockade began October 21 and, the next day, Kennedy delivered a public address alerting Americans to the situation. In his speech, he warned a frightened American public that the missiles on Cuba were capable of hitting Washington, D.C. or anywhere in the southeastern portion of the country, the Panama Canal, Mexico City or “as far north as Hudson Bay, Canada, and as far south as Lima, Peru.” A military confrontation appeared imminent when Kennedy told his audience that he ordered the evacuation of the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and put military units on standby. Boldly, he stated, “one path we shall never choose is the path of surrender or submission.”
Khrushchev responded by sending additional ships—possibly carrying military cargo—toward Cuba and by allowing construction at the missile sites to continue. Over the following six days, the Cuban Missile Crisis, as it is now known, brought the world to the brink of global nuclear war while the two leaders engaged in tense negotiations via telegram and letter.
Fortunately by October 28, Kennedy and Khrushchev had reached a settlement and people on both sides of the conflict breathed a collective but wary sigh of relief. The Cuban missile sites were dismantled and, in return, Kennedy agreed to close U.S. missile sites in Turkey.
