stb-1992-10
ERNEST JOSEPH KING
FLEETADMIRAL, U.S.N.
1878-1956
Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet
(COMINCH) and Chief of Naval
Operations (CNO). 1941-1945
by Brolher Rylance Allen Lord. M.Sc., R.Ph.
It is said that war brings out the best in some
individuals. This may be true. for in the case of
Ernest J. King, born in Lorain, Ohio, November 23, 1878, the Nation possessed both a
superb seaman and a Mason of the highest
regard.
The professional career of Admiral King
has been well-treated in numerous places and
he, himself, authored his memoirs, FLEET
ADMIRAL KING in 1952, four short years
belore his deatll. There is little need, then, to
dwell upon his early life or pre-World War II
naval career because those details are available elsewhere.
For this narrative, let us pick up the story of
Ernest King at the time of his entry into the
Masonic Fraternity in George C. Whiting
Lodge No. 22 in Georgetown, Washington,
D.C. Junc 25,1935 while he was Chief of the
Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics. He received
the Fellowcraft Degree in J uly of that year and
was Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master
Mason on September 12.1935.
Most of the stories about Admiral King's
Masonic life and his attendance at Lodge have
come down to us from Lodge Members in the
form of interviews. These members, recalling
the Admiral's presence. remember that he attended in a business suit until hostilities began
and that Brother King wanted only to be just
"another Brother". In fact, many Lodge Members never knew, at first, that Ernest King was
a naval officer--and would have been greatly
astonished to learn he was an Admiral. In
Lodge, King is said to have been very easy
going but fully aware of what a meeting's
agenda would be. He would participate in
open discussion and often would offer the
suggestion which would be enacted as the
solution to many a problem. He was accorded
full attention when he rose to speak.
When King became more well known to the
Brethren. he would speak more freely and
openly. telling of the naval and flight opera-
lions which he could share with them. He
shrugged-off formality of address when in the
company of Masonic Brothers. This was to his
credit as a Mason and Lodge Member but we
can he grateful he was more reticent when it
came to his official duties and responsibilities
in WW II.
A point of some concern to many people
during times ot armed conflict is thc so-called
"freedom of the press" . . . and the open discussion and revelation of what our fighting men
are doing. where. and under what circumstances. Admiral King was a staunch advocate
of security in such matters. He felt thclt knowledge of the military activities of our fighting
forces was not for general public consumption
and he guarded against such practices. In addition. during most of WW II when he was
hoth Commander-in-Chief. United States Fleet
(COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations
(CNO). headquartered in Washington. D.C.,
he was more difficult to access than The President of the U nited States. King felt. and rightly
so, that to broadcast the exploits of our forces
was not only to weaken the effectiveness of
such missions then. but also in future operations--for it provided insight of our military
objectives to the enemy. But. during the War,
Admiral King. within the limits of his policy
of silence in the dissemination of news of
naval operations. did meet in Alexandria, Virginia at the home of a friend with a group of
Washington correspondents so as to give them
the fullest possible and most authoritative
hackground for the then current naval operations.The appreciation of this group was shown
by a dinner given for Admiral King in October,
1945.
Admiral King's picture was a familiar one
in magazines and newspapers. He was often
seen accompanying President Roosevelt on
diplomatic missions during the war. Personally, though, he was rarely visible. Perhaps his
greatest contributions can be said to have been
made in meetings and conferences with other
national and Allied military and civilian leaders. Perhaps they can be described as the long,
broad plans which directed the vast two-ocean
naval armada enabling it to win on BOTH
fronts.
Though there is no record extant of Admiral
King ever being under fire on any WW II
battlefront, he had been decorated for action
in combat during WW I. He did travel to the
scenes of action and retained active command
of the Atlantic Fleet during the undeclared war
on Nazi U-Boats in 1941 and. additionally,
throughout the war. was in personal command
ot the Tenth Fleet directing the anti-submarine campaigns in the Atlantic Ocean. King
believed that. because ot his WW I expertise
and training. he was the best suited for the job.
He probably was right!
It is interesting to note that Admiral King
wrote to President Roosevelt one month before his sixty-fourth birthday:
'My Dear Mr President:
It appears proper that I should bring to your
notice the fact that the record shows that I
shall attain the age of 64 years on November
23d next one month from today.
I am. as always. at your service.
Most sincelely yours.
/S/ Ernest J. King
Admilal, U.S. Navy"
to which the President penned at the bottom
and returned to King. the following:
"EJK
"So what, O1d Top! I may even send you a
birthday present!
FDR"
That was in 1942. On 11 December 1944,
Congress passed a Bill authorizing the appointment of four Fleet Admirals and four
Generals of The Army.
The President immediately named Admirals Leahy. King. and Nimitz to the Naval fivestar rank. (Halsey later became the fourth as an
honorarium for his wartime services.) The
Senate confirmed these appointments on 15
Dccember 1944 and on 20 December--the
third anniversary of his designation as Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet. King
took the oath of office as a Fleet Admiral in the
United Statcs Navy.
Shortly thereafter, in January 1945,
Roosevelt was inaugurated for an unprecedented fourth term. One week later. King was
off to Bermuda and thence to Casablanca in
French Morocco--headed for Malta where a
meeting with the British was to be held preparatory to the American-British-Russian three-power conference at Yalta in the Crimea.
This would be the final "big" meeting for
President Roosevelt. He was sailing to the site
aboard the new cruiser QUINCY having as his
only companion his daughter. Anna Boettiger.
Roosevelt enjoyed being at sea. During this
voyage he celebrated his sixty-third birthday
on 30 January with a pleasant small party.
When he noticed The President sitting on
the quarterdeck of The Quincy. Admiral King
realized that Roosevelt was a sick man. Indeed. in a few months, Roosevelt lay dead.
Attending funeral services for their fallen
chief in the Hyde Park garden, the Joint Chiefs
of Staff could not even see the grave because
of the large number of mourners present.
So victory came in Europe and then in the
Pacific. In the summer of 1945 The Tenth
Fleet was dissolved. In October, Admiral King's
dual post of COMINCH/CNO was reorga-
nized into CNO only. Admiral King retired in
December, 1945 with the rank of Fleet Admiral and. in 1952, published his memoirs, FLEET
ADMIRAL KING. with the noted historian
and Director and Librarian of The Boston
Athenaeum, Walter Muir Whitehill, Com-
mander, United States Naval Reserve.
But, just as he was down to earth with his
Masonic Brethren, Ernest King also had time
for answering queries posed by the masses . ..
even children . . . and NOT just after the cessa-
tion of hostilities. There was kindness, as well
as directness and simplicity. in his answer to a
Brooklyn eighth-grader who in January, 1943
wrote to ask if he drank or smoked, and what
his favorite movie star, hobby, and sport might
be.
"Dear Harriett:
I have your letter of January 6th - and am
interested to learn that you have to do my
biography as part of your English work.
As to your questions:
I drink a little wine, NOW and then.
I smoke about one pack of cigarettes a day.
I think I like Spencer Tracy as well as any
of the movie stars.
My hobbyis cross-word puzzles--when they
are difficult.
My favorite sport is golf--when I can get to
play it otherwise I am fond of walking.
Hoping that all will go well with your English work. I am.
Very Truly yours.
E.J. King
Admiral, U. S. Navy."
In addition to Blue Lodge, Admiral King
was a Royal Arch Mason, joining Darius Chapter 143, San Diego, California in 1938. It is not
known where he took the Degrees in the Council of Royal and Select Master. He was also a
Memher of Hollywood Commandery No. 32.
Knight Templar in Cleveland, Ohio joining
in 1939. He became a Shriner in Al Koran
Temple No. 4 in 1946.
Admiral King passed away at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Portsmouth New
Hampshire June 25, on the 21st annivesary of his Entered Apprentice Degree. The
Navy was in charge of funeral arrangements.
Later as his body Lay in State in the Washington
Cathedral. Washington, D. C.. permision was
secured for Masonic Services to he conducted
by George C. Whiting Lodge No. 22, Carleton
F. Graham. Master. Interment followed in the
Naval Academy Cemetery at Annapolis.
As we enter this 50th anniversary period for
World War II. it will be difficult not to remember such Ieaders as Ernest J. King. Truly. the
Nation and the Masonic Fraternity were well
represented by this brilliant Naval Ieader and
humble man.
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