John G. Crommelin
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2021) |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2021) |
John Geraerdt Crommelin Jr. | |
---|---|
Rear Admiral | |
Unit | Naval aviation, USS Enterprise, Navy headquarters |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Other work | Gubernatorial, Senate, vice presidential and presidential candidate |
Born in Montgomery, Alabama as eldest of five brothers, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1923. He grew up in Montgomery and in Elmore County, Alabama.[citation needed]
He saw combat at the
Crommelin earned a reputation as a courageous and skillful naval aviator and the nickname "bomb-run John". He served as an executive officer as well as air officer aboard the Enterprise and was chief of staff aboard the carrier Liscome Bay when it was sunk in the Makin Island campaign off the Gilbert Islands.[citation needed]
In 1946, Captain Crommelin was given command of the light carrier USS Saipan.[1]
In 1949, he was transferred to Navy headquarters in The Pentagon at the rank of captain during the period of time of military budget reductions and unification of the command of the services.
In Washington Captain Crommelin became a vocal critic of military politics, warning of the dangers of concentrating military authority in the hands of a few, despite being in active service. He publicly complained that the Defense Department was scuttling naval air power and showing improper favor to the Air Force and that "a Prussian General Staff system of the type employed by Hitler" was being imposed on the armed forces under unification.[2]
During this
Crommelin was furloughed by Admiral Sherman at half pay, beginning early in 1950. Crommelin retired from active duty with the rank of Rear Admiral in May 1950, after 30 years of service. He went to operate a part of his family plantation, named Harrogate Springs, in Elmore County, raising a variety of crops.[2]
Political activity
Although he was widely praised and credited for his courage in speaking out for his views and for his previous distinguished combat career, Crommelin's reputation suffered from his later political involvement. He was an open and unapologetic
Crommelin generally finished last or second-last in any election. He was nominated for
One of the few times that he didn't finish last in an election came in 1964, when he ran in the Democratic primary for Alabama's 2nd congressional district, his home district, against 14-term incumbent George M. Grant. He was only the third substantive primary opponent that Grant had ever faced. While Crommerlin lost the primary by a 2-to-1 margin, Grant himself was routed in the general election in a backlash to the federal Democrats passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
During the United States presidential election of 1968 he ran for the Democratic nomination in the New Hampshire primary, winning only 186 (0.34%) of the votes.
Legacy and personal life
Crommelin married Lillian E. Tapley in 1930. They had two daughters and one son.
Electoral history
Alabama United States Senate election, 1950
- J. Lister Hill (D) (inc.) – 125,534 (76.54%)
- John G. Crommelin (Independent) – 38,477 (23.46%)
- J. Lister Hill (inc.) – 247,519 (68.20%)
- John G. Crommelin – 115,440 (31.81%)
1958 Alabama gubernatorial election (Democratic primary)
- John Malcolm Patterson– 196,859 (31.82%)
- George Wallace – 162,435 (26.26%)
- Jimmy Faulkner – 91,512 (14.79%)
- A.W. Todd – 59,240 (9.58%)
- Laurie Battle– 38,955 (6.30%)
- George Hawkins – 24,332 (3.93%)
- C.C. Owen – 15,270 (2.47%)
- Karl Harrison – 12,488 (2.02%)
- Billy Walker – 7,963 (1.29%)
- W.E. Dodd – 4,753 (0.77%)
- John G. Crommelin – 2,245 (0.36%)
- Shearen Elebash – 1,177 (0.19%)
- James Gulatte – 798 (0.13%)
- Shorty Price – 655 (0.11%)
Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate from Alabama, 1960
- John Sparkman (inc.) – 335,722 (86.68%)
- John G. Crommelin – 51,571 (13.32%)
1960 United States presidential election
- John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson (D) – 34,220,984 (49.9%) and 303 electoral votes (22 states carried)
- Richard Nixon/Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (R) – 34,108,157 (49.5%) and 219 electoral votes (26 states carried)
- Harry F. Byrd/Strom Thurmond/Barry Goldwater (Independents) – 15 electoral votes (Mississippi and Alabama unpledged and faithless electors from Oklahoma)
- Unpledged electors (D) – 286,359 (0.4%) and 0 electoral votes
- Socialist Labor) – 47,522 (0.07%)
- Rutherford L. Decker/Earle Harold Munn (Prohibition Party) -–46,203 (0.07%)
- Orval E. Faubus/John G. Crommelin (National States' Rights Party) – 44,984 (0.07%)
Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate from Alabama, 1962
- J. Lister Hill (inc.) – 363,613 (73.71%)
- Donald G. Hallmark – 72,855 (14.77%)
- John G. Crommelin – 56,822 (11.52%)
Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate from Alabama, 1966
- John Sparkman (inc.) – 378,295 (56.98%)
- Frank E. Dixon – 133,139 (20.05%)
- John G. Crommelin – 114,622 (17.26%)
- Margaret E. Stewart – 37,889 (5.71%)
1968 United States presidential election (Democratic primaries)
- Eugene McCarthy – 2,914,933 (38.73%)
- Robert F. Kennedy – 2,305,148 (30.63%)
- Stephen M. Young – 549,140 (7.30%)
- Lyndon B. Johnson – 383,590 (5.10%)
- Thomas C. Lynch – 380,286 (5.05%)
- Roger D. Branigin – 238,700 (3.17%)
- George Smathers – 236,242 (3.14%)
- Hubert Humphrey – 166,463 (2.21%)
- Unpledged – 161,143 (2.14%)
- Scott Kelly – 128,899 (1.71%)
- George Wallace – 34,489 (0.46%)
- Richard Nixon (write-in) – 13,610 (0.18%)
- Ronald Reagan (write-in) – 5,309 (0.07%)
- Ted Kennedy – 4,052 (0.05%)
- Paul C. Fisher – 506 (0.01%)
- John G. Crommelin – 186 (0.00%)
Citations
- ^ "USS Saipan (CVL-48)". Archived from the original on 16 January 2011.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
Bibliography
- Barlow, Jeffrey G. Revolt of the Admirals: The Fight for Naval Aviation, 1945–1950. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1994. ISBN 0-16-042094-6.
- McFarland, Keith (1980). "The 1949 Revolt of the Admirals" (PDF). Parameters: Journal of the US Army War College Quarterly Vol. XI, No. 2. pp. 53–63. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-59114-692-6.