Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer
Encyclopedia
Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer was an officer in the United States Navy
an aide to Presidents Harry S. Truman
and Dwight D. Eisenhower
.
, Pfeifer was born on December 18, 1915. He would marry twice. First, to Dorothy Dowling, which ended in divorce. Second, to Mary Louis Whitmore, to whom he was married to for the rest of his life. He passed away on May 12, 2001 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
.
in 1939. He would serve aboard the USS Cummings (DD-365)
in Pearl Harbor
where he would survive the attack by the Japanese
. Later during World War II
he would be given command of the USS Cassin Young (DD-793)
. Following the war he served as a naval aide in the Truman and Eisenhower administrations. Later he would serve in the Korean War
and Vietnam War
and as Inspector General of the Military Sea Transportation Service
.
During his career he was awarded the Silver Star
and twice awarded the Legion of Merit
, one of the Legions of Merit coming with a valor device
.
His award citation for the Silver Star reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer (NSN: 0-82626), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Engineer Officer of the U.S.S. O'BANNON (DD-450), during engagements with the enemy in the Guadalcanal-Tulagi Area on 12 & 13 November 1942. During this period the ship was subjected to a heavy enemy torpedo plane attack and engaged at close quarters by a superior enemy force of surface ships. By his ability and fearless leadership he maintained control of the engineering plant at all times under conditions of extreme operations and moments of stress. By clear, quick action and calmness when his ship experienced a heavy underwater shock resulting in loss of light and power and much confusion breakage and damage he was instrumental in quickly regaining control of his plant allowing the ship to continue its mission with no decrease of effectiveness. By his actions and attitude he was an inspiration to all on board. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
His award citation for his first Legion of Merit reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" to Commander Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer (NSN: 0-82626), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Engineering Officer of the U.S.S. VALLEY FORGE during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea from 25 June 1950 to 22 March 1951. An officer of outstanding skill and ingenuity, Commander Pfeifer maintained the machinery of his ship in a high state of material readiness, thereby contributing materially to the successful accomplishment of all assigned missions. Undaunted by the lack of time available for preventive maintenance and the lack of sufficient material and parts, he was responsible for the efficient functioning of the VALLEY FORGE throughout its operations in support of our ground forces in Korea. His professional ability, resourcefulness and staunch devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Commander Pfeifer is authorized to wear the Combat "V".)
His award citation for his second Legion of Merit reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit to Captain Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer (NSN: 0-82626), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from 20 July 1966 to 3 June 1967, as Commanding Officer, Military Sea Transpiration Service Office, Vietnam. Assuming his duties at a critical time during the U.S. military buildup in Vietnam and during the organization and expansion of his office, Captain Pfeifer displayed outstanding executive ability in organizing and expanding the services in support of U.S. forces in Vietnam. In addition to contributing greatly to the successful introduction of containership service to Vietnam, he exercised remarkable tact and diplomacy in coordinating sealift services with Vietnamese officials, American Embassy personnel, and other service commands, and civilian shipping agents. During Operation OREGON when Military Sea Transportation Service Office, Vietnam, was required to provide the transportation for an Army Brigade moving into I Corps on short notice, Captain Pfeifer reacted effectively and efficiently to provide the necessary shipping for a most successful operation. When the 4th Transportation Command was tasked by the Secretary of Defense to eliminate the port congestion in Saigon, Captain Pfeifer cooperated to the fullest with the Army, thereby making it possible for the various commands responsible to clear the congestion in Saigon; to provide the necessary berths; to offload the many loaded barges; and to take positive action to rearrange military shipping to expedite offloading of commercial cargo, thus permitting the clearing of the port in a period of about four months. By his outstanding leadership, sound judgment, and devotion to duty, Captain Pfeifer upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
an aide to Presidents Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
and Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
.
Biography
A native of Springfield, OhioSpringfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
, Pfeifer was born on December 18, 1915. He would marry twice. First, to Dorothy Dowling, which ended in divorce. Second, to Mary Louis Whitmore, to whom he was married to for the rest of his life. He passed away on May 12, 2001 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Career
Pfeifer graduated from the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1939. He would serve aboard the USS Cummings (DD-365)
USS Cummings (DD-365)
The second USS Cummings was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Andrew Boyd Cummings.-History:...
in Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
where he would survive the attack by the Japanese
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. Later during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he would be given command of the USS Cassin Young (DD-793)
USS Cassin Young (DD-793)
USS Cassin Young , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Captain Cassin Young , who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Pearl Harbor and killed in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal....
. Following the war he served as a naval aide in the Truman and Eisenhower administrations. Later he would serve in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and as Inspector General of the Military Sea Transportation Service
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
.
During his career he was awarded the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
and twice awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, one of the Legions of Merit coming with a valor device
Valor device
The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...
.
His award citation for the Silver Star reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer (NSN: 0-82626), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Engineer Officer of the U.S.S. O'BANNON (DD-450), during engagements with the enemy in the Guadalcanal-Tulagi Area on 12 & 13 November 1942. During this period the ship was subjected to a heavy enemy torpedo plane attack and engaged at close quarters by a superior enemy force of surface ships. By his ability and fearless leadership he maintained control of the engineering plant at all times under conditions of extreme operations and moments of stress. By clear, quick action and calmness when his ship experienced a heavy underwater shock resulting in loss of light and power and much confusion breakage and damage he was instrumental in quickly regaining control of his plant allowing the ship to continue its mission with no decrease of effectiveness. By his actions and attitude he was an inspiration to all on board. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
His award citation for his first Legion of Merit reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" to Commander Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer (NSN: 0-82626), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Engineering Officer of the U.S.S. VALLEY FORGE during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea from 25 June 1950 to 22 March 1951. An officer of outstanding skill and ingenuity, Commander Pfeifer maintained the machinery of his ship in a high state of material readiness, thereby contributing materially to the successful accomplishment of all assigned missions. Undaunted by the lack of time available for preventive maintenance and the lack of sufficient material and parts, he was responsible for the efficient functioning of the VALLEY FORGE throughout its operations in support of our ground forces in Korea. His professional ability, resourcefulness and staunch devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Commander Pfeifer is authorized to wear the Combat "V".)
His award citation for his second Legion of Merit reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit to Captain Carl Ferdinand Pfeifer (NSN: 0-82626), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from 20 July 1966 to 3 June 1967, as Commanding Officer, Military Sea Transpiration Service Office, Vietnam. Assuming his duties at a critical time during the U.S. military buildup in Vietnam and during the organization and expansion of his office, Captain Pfeifer displayed outstanding executive ability in organizing and expanding the services in support of U.S. forces in Vietnam. In addition to contributing greatly to the successful introduction of containership service to Vietnam, he exercised remarkable tact and diplomacy in coordinating sealift services with Vietnamese officials, American Embassy personnel, and other service commands, and civilian shipping agents. During Operation OREGON when Military Sea Transportation Service Office, Vietnam, was required to provide the transportation for an Army Brigade moving into I Corps on short notice, Captain Pfeifer reacted effectively and efficiently to provide the necessary shipping for a most successful operation. When the 4th Transportation Command was tasked by the Secretary of Defense to eliminate the port congestion in Saigon, Captain Pfeifer cooperated to the fullest with the Army, thereby making it possible for the various commands responsible to clear the congestion in Saigon; to provide the necessary berths; to offload the many loaded barges; and to take positive action to rearrange military shipping to expedite offloading of commercial cargo, thus permitting the clearing of the port in a period of about four months. By his outstanding leadership, sound judgment, and devotion to duty, Captain Pfeifer upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.