James Fife, Jr.

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James Fife, Jr.
January 22, 1897(1897-01-22) – November 1, 1975 (aged 78)
Admiral James Fife, Jr.
Place of birth	Nevada
Place of death	Stonington, Connecticut
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1918-1955
Rank	Admiral
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Other work	Director, Mystic Seaport

Admiral James Fife, Jr. (January 22, 1897 - November 1, 1975) was a United States Navy admiral who was promoted to four star rank after retirement as a "tombstone admiral".

[edit] Biography

Fife graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1918 and served in both World War I and World War II in submarines and surface combatants. He served aboard USS S-3 (SS-107) and USS R-22 (SS-99), and was commanding officer of USS N-7 (SS-59), USS R-19 (SS-96) and USS R-18 (SS-95).^[1] He served on the battleship USS Idaho (BB-24) and the destroyers USS Leary (DD-158) and USS Hatfield (DD-231) from 1923 until May 1935.

During World War II, Fife commanded Submarine Squadron 20 (under Admiral Thomas C. Hart) and after it was dissolved later into Submarines, Asiatic Fleet, he served as Chief of Staff to the Commander until May 1942. He served with General Douglas MacArthur as the representative of Admiral Arthur S. Carpender during the Burma campaign.

Admiral Fife was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for meritorious service as the Chief of Staff to Commander Submarines, Asiatic Fleet, the Air Medal (by the Army), and a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal for action in the Pacific area. During the last months of the war he served as Commander Submarines, Southwest Pacific; Commander, U. S. Naval Forces, Western Australia; and Commander Task Force 71. As a result, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a Distinguished Service Medal.

From April 1947 until 1950, he commanded the Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet. This assignment was followed by duty as Assistant Chief, and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Operations). His final assignment before retirement was as U. S. Naval Commander in Chief, Mediterranean, under Admiral Mountbatten, Royal Navy. Fife retired from the Navy in August 1955, and was promoted upon retirement to full admiral. In retirement he served as the Director of Mystic Seaport. He died in 1975 in Stonington, Connecticut and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.^[2] Fife bequeathed his estate in New London, Connecticut to the U.S. Navy, which turned it into a recreational site. Fife Hall, a navigation training facility at Naval Submarine Base New London is named in his honor.^[1]