James O. Richardson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James O. Richardson
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Admiral Richardson as Commander, Battle Force, U.S. Fleet, 1939
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| Birth name | James Otto Richardson |
| Born | 18 September 1878 Paris, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | 2 May 1974 (aged 95) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1902–1947 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Battles/wars | Philippine-American War World War I World War II |
James Otto Richardson (1878–1974) was a high-ranking officer, called an admiral, in the United States Navy. He served for many years, from 1902 to 1947.
Admiral Richardson was in charge of the U.S. Fleet. He strongly disagreed with moving the fleet to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. He thought it was a dangerous idea. He believed the fleet would be an easy target if war broke out with Japan. Because of his strong opinions, he was removed from his command in 1941. Sadly, his worries came true when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor just ten months later.
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Richardson was born in Paris, Texas. He joined the United States Naval Academy in 1898. He graduated in 1902, ranking fifth in his class.
His first jobs were in Asia. He took part in the Philippine campaign. After 1905, he served in the Atlantic Ocean. From 1907 to 1909, Lieutenant Richardson commanded torpedo boats. He also led a division of torpedo boats.
He studied engineering at a special Navy school from 1909 to 1911. Later, he worked as an engineer on the battleship USS Delaware. In 1914, Richardson became a Lieutenant Commander. He worked for the Navy Department. His job was to make sure the Navy had enough fuel.
World War I and Between Wars
From 1917 to 1919, Commander Richardson was a key officer on the battleship USS Nevada. After working at the Naval Academy, he commanded the gunboat USS Asheville in 1922. He took her to Asian waters. There, he also led the South China Patrol.
Captain Richardson worked for the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance from 1924 to 1927. In the late 1920s, he commanded a group of destroyers. He then returned to the U.S. to work for the Bureau of Navigation.
In 1931, Captain Richardson took command of the new heavy cruiser USS Augusta. He commanded her for over two years. After studying at the Naval War College, he became a Budget Officer for the Navy. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1934.
As a rear admiral, he commanded a cruiser division. He also served as a top aide to Admiral J.M. "Bull" Reeves. Later, he commanded destroyers for the Scouting Force. In 1937, he became Assistant Chief of Naval Operations. He helped with the search for Amelia Earhart. He also dealt with the attack on the USS Panay.
In 1938, he helped create new military plans for a war against Japan. In 1939, Richardson went back to sea. He became Commander of the Battle Force, U.S. Fleet. He held the temporary rank of admiral.
Pearl Harbor Concerns
In January 1940, Richardson became Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (CinCUS). This meant he was in charge of both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. He was known as an expert on naval warfare in the Pacific. He had studied Japanese strategy for many years.
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During this time, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the Pacific Fleet to move to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Its usual base was in San Diego, California. Richardson strongly disagreed with this decision.
He believed that places like Guam and Hawaii needed more money and effort. They were not ready to be used as advanced bases in wartime. He also thought future battles would involve aircraft carriers. More scouting ships would be needed to find them.
Richardson argued that the fleet would be very vulnerable in Pearl Harbor. It was an exposed and remote location. There were not enough resources or organization there. He felt that defending the base would be very difficult. He wanted the fleet to return to the West Coast. There, it could prepare properly before possibly returning to Pearl Harbor.
He told President Roosevelt that keeping the fleet inside Pearl Harbor was dangerous. He believed it would be an easy target for an attack. The U.S. Navy had practiced attacks on Pearl Harbor for ten years. These attacks were always successful.
Richardson traveled to Washington twice to talk with Roosevelt. He also sent a letter to Admiral Harold R. Stark, the Chief of Naval Operations. He stated that the Navy and the country were not ready for war with Japan.
In October 1940, news leaked that Richardson might be removed. During his visit with Roosevelt, Richardson told the President that Navy officers did not trust the civilian leaders. He was fired on February 1, 1941. Admiral Husband Kimmel replaced him as the new Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet.
Later Life and Retirement
After being removed from his command, Richardson became a rear admiral again. He served on the Navy General Board. He also worked in the office of the Secretary of the Navy. He retired in October 1942.
Even after retiring, he stayed active. He worked with the Navy Relief Society. He also served on a special committee about national defense. He was one of the first people to speak before the Congressional Committee on Pearl Harbor. He also testified at a major international court. He left active duty in January 1947.
He and his friend, Admiral George C. Dyer, wrote a book together. It was called On the Treadmill to Pearl Harbor.
Admiral Richardson passed away on May 2, 1974, at his home in Washington, D.C.
Awards and Decorations
Richardson received several awards for his service. These include:
- Navy Spanish Campaign Medal
- Philippine Campaign Medal
- World War I Victory Medal
- American Defense Service Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
 
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