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Michael D. Withers (Mike), OSCS
to remember
Gingrich, John Edward, ADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Dodge City, KS
Last Address New York, NY
Date of Passing May 26, 1960
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates 2 4965-D-RH
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
After his Navy service, John Gingrich worked as the Vice President of International Telephone and Telegraphic Corporation (IT&T).
Other Comments:
Navy Distinguished Dervice Medal
Awarded for Actions During Korean War
Service: Navy
General Orders: Commander Naval Forces Far East: Serial 18638 (November 30, 1953)
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral John Edward Gingrich (NSN: 0-20251), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, as COMUNBLOCK&ESCORTFOR engaged in operations against hostile North Korean and Chinese Communist Forces from 31 May 1952 to 12 February 1953. It was his responsibility to organize naval units from eleven different nations into one force capable of handling such complex and varied operations as coastal blockade, minesweeping, escort for logistic ships, shore bombardment, island defense and aerial support for United Nations ground forces. With consummate skill and a wise understanding of many problems involved, he coordinated the diverse naval units under his command into a highly effective force which completely denied the enemy the use of his sea lanes, virtually eliminated the threat of enemy mines for gun-fire ships involved in in-shore operations and inflicted wide-spread destruction on enemy supply and transportation facilities. Under Rear Admiral Gingrich's competent direction, the recently established ROK Navy was developed into an effective and efficient fighting organization. Ships of Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Thailand and Colombia also operated successfully under his direction. In order to be fully informed in his activities he frequently visited the islands occupied by friendly forces, cruised in various vessels of his command and was under heavy enemy fire on numerous occasions. Through his distinguished service, he contributed immeasurably to the success of the United Nations' cause in Korea. His steadfast devotion to duty was at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Iwo Jima Operation
From Month/Year
February / 1945
To Month/Year
March / 1945
Description The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945), or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States Armed Forces fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese Empire. The American invasion had the goal of capturing the entire island, including its three airfields (including South Field and Central Field), to provide a staging area for attacks on the Japanese main islands. This five-week battle comprised some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the War in the Pacific of World War II.
After the heavy losses incurred in the battle, the strategic value of the island became controversial. It was useless to the U.S. Army as a staging base and useless to the U.S. Navy as a fleet base. However, Navy SEABEES rebuilt the landing strips, which were used as emergency landing strips for USAAF B-29s.
The Imperial Japanese Army positions on the island were heavily fortified, with a dense network of bunkers, hidden artillery positions, and 18 km (11 mi) of underground tunnels. The Americans on the ground were supported by extensive naval artillery and complete air supremacy over Iwo Jima from the beginning of the battle by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators.
Iwo Jima was the only battle by the U.S. Marine Corps in which the Japanese combat deaths were thrice those of the Americans throughout the battle. Of the 22,000 Japanese soldiers on Iwo Jima at the beginning of the battle, only 216 were taken prisoner, some of whom were captured because they had been knocked unconscious or otherwise disabled. The majority of the remainder were killed in action, although it has been estimated that as many as 3,000 continued to resist within the various cave systems for many days afterwards, eventually succumbing to their injuries or surrendering weeks later.
Despite the bloody fighting and severe casualties on both sides, the Japanese defeat was assured from the start. Overwhelming American superiority in arms and numbers as well as complete control of air power — coupled with the impossibility of Japanese retreat or reinforcement — permitted no plausible circumstance in which the Americans could have lost the battle.
The battle was immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's photograph of the raising of the U.S. flag on top of the 166 m (545 ft) Mount Suribachi by five U.S. Marines and one U.S. Navy battlefield Hospital Corpsman. The photograph records the second flag-raising on the mountain, both of which took place on the fifth day of the 35-day battle. Rosenthal's photograph promptly became an indelible icon — of that battle, of that war in the Pacific, and of the Marine Corps itself — and has been widely reproduced.
