This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Robert Cox, YNCS
to remember
Sprague, Thomas Lamison, VADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Last Address Lima, Ohio
Date of Passing Sep 17, 1972
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Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
I created this profile of Vice Admiral Sprague as part of my research of the Battle Off Samar. Sprague was the Commander of the American Task Group 77.4 and Task Unit 77.4.1 (Taffy I). The little escort carriers (CVEs) he commanded were an intergal part of winning the war in the Pacific.
Please visit my Battle Off Samar famous Naval officer profiles:
Thomas Lamison Sprague was born on October 2, 1894 in Lima, Ohio.
Graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1917 (although no relation to Admiral Clifton "Ziggy" Sprague, the two both attended Annapolis later graduating from the same class).
Serving aboard the USS Cleveland (C-19) assigned to the trans-Atlantic convoy from June 1917 until April 1918 and, after serving on shore duty for a brief period, Sprague assisted in the official commission of the USS Montgomery (DD-121) in July. As a member of the ship's anti-submarine patrol, Sprague would eventually come to command the destroyer from January to November 1920.
After participating in naval flight training at Pensacola Naval Air Station (NAS), Sprague served as a staff officer under Pacific Air commander Admiral H.V. Butler from 1921 to 1923.
In 1926, Sprague was transferred to the USS Maryland (BB-46) serving with Observation Squadron 1 for two years before being stationed at the San Diego Naval Air Station in 1928.
Between 1931 and 1936, Sprague served as commander of Scouting Squadron 6, director of the Philadelphia naval aircraft factory aeronautical engine lab, and air officer onboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) before being reassigned as to Pensacola as superintendent of Naval Air Training from 1937 to 1940.
Serving as executive officer onboard the USS Ranger (CV-4) on neutrality patrol in the Atlantic for a year, Sprague helped commission the escort carrier USS Charger (AVG-30) and commanded the vessel during training missions in the Chesapeake from February to December 1942.
After serving staff duty from January to June 1943, Sprague commissioned the USS Intrepid (CV-11) in August, and commanded the aircraft carrier in raids against the Truk and Marshall Islands during the first two months of 1944.
Promoted to Rear Admiral in June 1944, Sprague commanded carrier Division 22 which covered the assault on Guam from July-August and Morotai in September.
In command of Task Group 77.4 ("Taffy 1") during the Battle of Leyte Gulf from October 24-25 1944.
Briefly commanded Pacific training carriers under Carrier Division 11, before leading Carrier Division 3 off Okinawa from April-June 1945.
Commanding task Force 38.1 during the final air operations against Japan by the war's end.
Chief of the Bureau of Naval Personnel in 1946 serving until his promotion to Vice Admiral in August 1949.
Appointed commander of the Pacific Fleet Air Force in October, Sprague would hold this post until his retirement in April 1952.
Briefly returned to active duty to negotiate with the Philippine government over the status of U.S. air bases in 1956.
Died on September 17, 1972.
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Mariana and Palau Islands Campaign (1944)
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
November / 1944
Description The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War. The United States offensive, under the overall command of Chester Nimitz, followed the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign and was intended to neutralize Japanese bases in the central Pacific, support the Allied drive to retake the Philippines, and provide bases for a strategic bombing campaign against Japan.
Beginning the offensive, United States Marine Corps and United States Army forces, with support from the United States Navy, executed landings on Saipan in June, 1944. In response, the Imperial Japanese Navy's combined fleet sortied to attack the U.S. Navy fleet supporting the landings. In the resulting aircraft carrier Battle of the Philippine Sea (the so-called “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”) on 19–20 June, the Japanese naval forces were decisively defeated with heavy and irreplaceable losses to their carrier-borne and land-based aircraft.
Thereafter, U.S. forces executed landings on Guam and Tinian in July, 1944. After heavy fighting, Saipan was secured in July and Guam and Tinian in August, 1944. The U.S. then constructed airfields on Saipan and Tinian where B-29s were based to conduct strategic bombing missions against the Japanese mainland until the end of World War II, including the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In the meantime, in order to secure the flank for U.S. forces preparing to attack Japanese forces in the Philippines, in September, 1944, U.S. Marine and Army forces landed on the islands of Peleliu and Angaur in Palau. After heavy and intense combat on Peleliu, the island was finally secured by U.S. forces in November, 1944.
Following their landings in the Mariana and Palau Islands, Allied forces continued their ultimately successful campaign against Japan by landing in the Philippines in October, 1944 and the Volcano and Ryukyu Islands beginning in January, 1945.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
November / 1944
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Sprague commanded carrier Division 22 which covered the assault on Guam from July-August 1944.