Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 – December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral in World War II. He commanded U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. At Midway, Spruance scored the first major victory for the United States over Japan; most historians consider Midway the turning point of the Pacific War.[1]
Official Navy historian Samuel Eliot Morison characterized Spruance's performance as "superb", and said that he "emerged from this battle one of the greatest admirals in American naval history".[2]
Spruance was nicknamed "electric brain" for his calmness even in moments of supreme crisis, a reputation enhanced by his successful tactics at Midway.[3] After the war, Spruance was appointed President of the Naval War College, and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines.