Robert C. Giffen

For the Scottish statistician and economist, seeRobert Giffen.

Robert Carlisle Giffen(1886 – 1962) was an admiral in theUnited States Navy.

Robert Carlisle Giffen
Vice Admiral Robert C. Giffen. Official U.S. Navy photograph.
Born	(1886-06-29)29 June 1886 West Chester, Pennsylvania,U.S.
Died	10 December 1962(1962-12-10)(aged 76) Annapolis, Maryland,U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/ branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1907 – 1946
Rank	Vice Admiral
Battles / wars	World War I World War II Operation Torch Battle of Rennell Island Aleutian Islands campaign Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
Awards	Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Birth to the beginning of World War I

Robert Carlisle Giffen was born inWest Chester,Pennsylvania,on 29 June 1886. He attended theUniversity of Notre Dame,inSouth Bend,Indiana, before appointment to theU.S. Naval Academyfrom the State of Nebraska in 1903. Midshipman Giffen graduated with the Academy's class of 1907 and was assigned to the battleshipUSSVirginia,in which he voyaged around the world with the "Great White Fleet"between late 1907 and early 1909. During the next four years, Giffen served in several ships and also participated regularly in the National Rifle Matches. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Giffen served at theWashington Navy Yardin 1913–15 and was then assigned to the new destroyerUSSWainwright.

World War I and inter-war years

During 1917–1918, Lieutenant Commander Giffen commanded the destroyerUSSTrippein European waters and served with the Sixth Battle Squadron, attached to theBritish Grand Fleetin the North Sea. In mid-1918 he took command of the new destroyerUSSSchley,serving in her at Gibraltar and in the Mediterranean Sea until August 1919. From then until the middle 1930s he had shore duty at San Francisco, California, at the Naval Academy and atKeyport, Washington;served afloat as executive officer ofUSSHuron;and was commanding officer of the gunboatUSSSacramento,a destroyer squadron and the oilerUSSNeches.Between 1934 and 1937, Captain Giffen was again stationed at the Naval Academy, followed by a tour in command of the light cruiserUSSSavannahin 1938–1940.

World War II

Atlantic service

Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen wearing a battle helmet while on board ship, sometime during 1942–1943.

Giffen attended theNaval War Collegein 1940 and spent several months in Washington, D.C., as Director of the Naval Reserve Policy Division of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

In March 1941, Rear Admiral Giffen became commander of a cruiser division. He led the North AtlanticNeutrality Patrolon increasingly "warlike" operations during the latter part of 1941. Once war formally began for the United States in December, he commanded surface forces that escorted convoys and, at times, operated with theBritish Home Fleet.On 27 March 1942 he was named commander of US Navy Atlantic Task Force 39 when its commander, Rear Adm.John W. Wilcox, Jr.,was lost at sea. In November 1942, he participated in theNorth Africa invasion,during which his task force actively engaged French warships and aircraft offCasablanca,Morocco.

Pacific and Caribbean service

During 1943 and into 1944, Rear Admiral Giffen commanded battleship and cruiser task forces in the Pacific, participating in the latter stages of the fight forGuadalcanal(and was the losing commander in theBattle of Rennell Island), theAleutians campaign,the invasions of theGilbert and Marshall Islands,and raids against Japanese bases in the central Pacific. In May 1944, with the rank of vice admiral, he became Commandant of the Tenth Naval District and Commander, Caribbean Sea Frontier, with headquarters at San Juan, Puerto Rico from 14 May 1944 until 20 August 1945.

Final career assignments and retirement

Vice Admiral Giffen was Commander Service Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, from August 1945, and retired from active duty at the beginning of September 1946.

He died atAnnapolis, Marylandon 10 December 1962.

References

• Morison, Samuel Eliot(1958).The Struggle for Guadalcanal, August 1942 – February 1943,vol. 5 ofHistory of United States Naval Operations in World War II.Boston:Little, Brown and Company.ISBN0-316-58305-7.
• Naval Historical Center (2002)."Vice Admiral Robert C. Giffen, USN (1886-1962)1942".Online Library of Selected Images:—PEOPLE—UNITED STATES—.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY—NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER. Archived fromthe originalon 2006-09-23.Retrieved2006-06-19.

External links

• Robert C. Giffen Papers, 1905-1990 (bulk 1905-1945) MS 427held by Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy