Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:06:46-1:07:23

How the Royal Navy regarded Kimmel

Royal Navy gunnery officers respected Kimmel, whose postwar assignment in USS Arkansas continued an unusually sea-going career.

Husband E. KimmelNaval GunneryNaval Officer CorpsRoyal NavyUSS Arkansas (BB-33)
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Question

How good was Kimmel in the view of the Royal Navy?

Short answer

He was well respected, especially by Royal Navy gunnery officers who had seen his work with the Grand Fleet.

Notes

Royal Navy gunnery officers respected Kimmel's work with the Grand Fleet. After the First World War he became executive officer of USS Arkansas, another important battleship posting. His career continued to alternate between battleships and destroyers and between gunnery and torpedo work. The pattern supports the picture of an aggressive sea officer trusted for fighting efficiency rather than a headquarters specialist.