In this clip excerpted from his oral history recordings, Admiral Sharp recalls a risky rescue mission five miles off Nauru Island in December 1944, in which the downed "pilot" turned out to be a float light bobbing in the water.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)
During World War II, Admiral Sharp was commanding officer of the USS Hogan (DD-178) on convoy duty in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean as well as in the invasion of North Africa. In 1943 he was CO of the USS Boyd (DD-544) and took part in many strikes in the Pacific: Wake Islands, Nauru, the Marianas, the Bonins, Mindanao, Cebu, Negros, Luzon, Truk, Okinawa, and Formosa.
Among his later assignments were: CO of the USS Macon (CA-132); Commander Cruiser Division Three; Director, Strategic Plans Division; Commander Cruiser Destroyer Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Commander First Fleet; DCNO (Plans and Policy) during the Cuban crisis; and CinC, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
To read more about the Naval Institute Oral History Program, click here.