This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Michael D. Withers (Mike), OSCS
to remember
Hayler, Robert Ward, VADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Sandusky, OH
Last Address Carmel, CA
Date of Passing Nov 17, 1980
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Robert Ward Hayler was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. He was a three-time recipient of the Navy Cross, the Navy's second highest military decoration for valor. Two of these awards were received while serving as the commanding officer of the light cruiser USS Honolulu at Guadalcanal and Kula Gulf and the third as a rear admiral and Commander, Cruiser Division Twelve during the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944.
Following the Second World War, Hayler remained in the Navy and served as Commandant, Sixth Naval District and President, Permanent General Court Martial for the Ninth Naval District until his retirement in July 1953.
Aleutians Islands Campaign (1942-43)/Defense of Adak
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
August / 1942
Description In August 1942, the U.S. Army established an air base on Adak Island and began bombing Japanese positions on Kiska. U.S. Navy submarines and surface ships also began patrolling the area. Kiska Harbor was the main base for Japanese ships in the campaign and several were sunk there, some by warships but mostly in air raids. On 5 July, the submarine Growler, under command of Lieutenant Commander Howard Gilmore, attacked three Japanese destroyers off Kiska. He sank one and heavily damaged the others, killing or wounding 200 Japanese sailors. Ten days later, the Grunion was attacked by three Japanese submarine chasers in Kiska Harbor, with two of the patrol craft sunk and one other damaged. On 12 May 1943, the Japanese submarine I-31 was sunk in a surface action with the destroyer Edwards 5 mi (4.3 nmi; 8.0 km) northeast of Chichagof Harbor.
