James Otto Richardson was born in Paris, Texas, on 18 September 1878. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1898 and graduated with the Class of 1902. His first duty assignments were on the Asiatic Station and, after 1905, in the Atlantic. During 1907-09, Lieutenant Richardson commanded the torpedo boats Tingey and Stockton and the Third Division, Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla. He was a member of the first class of the Navy's Post Graduate Engineering School in 1909-11, then served as an engineer in the battleship Delaware and on the staff of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. In 1914, Richardson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander and was attached to the Bureau of Steam Engineering at the Navy Department, where he worked to assure the Navy's supply of fuel oil.
In 1917-19, Commander Richardson was Navigator and Executive Officer of the battleship Nevada. Following a tour at the Naval Academy, he was given command of the gunboat Asheville in 1922 and took her out to Asiatic waters, where he also had command of the South China Patrol. Captain Richardson was Assistant to the Chief, Bureau of Ordnance, in 1924-27. In the later 1920s, he commanded a destroyer division, then returned to the Navy Department for service with the Bureau of Navigation.
In January 1931, Captain Richardson placed the new heavy cruiser Augusta in commission and commanded her for more than two years. After a tour as a Naval War College student in 1933-34, he was Budget Officer at the Navy Department, receiving promotion to Rear Admiral while in that position in December 1934. His early duties as a flag officer included command of a Scouting Force cruiser division, service as Chief of Staff and Aide to the U.S. Fleet's commander, and a tour as Commander Destroyers, Scouting Force. He became Assistant to the Chief of Naval operations in June 1937 and a year later became Chief of the Bureau of Navigation.
In June 1939, Richardson went back to sea as Commander, Battle Force, U.S. Fleet, with the temporary rank of Admiral. Beginning in January 1940, he was Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, holding that position during a stressful period marked by the fleet's forward deployment to Pearl Harbor. Relieved by Admiral Husband E. Kimmel in February 1941, he served at the Navy Department into 1942. Transferred to the Retired List with the rank of Admiral in October 1942, he remained on active service with the Navy Relief Society, as Senior Member of a "Special Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee" on the reorganization of the National Defense, and as a witness before the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. Released from active duty in January 1947, he thereafter resided in Washington, D.C. Admiral James O. Richardson died on 2 May 1974.
This page features selected views of Admiral James O. Richardson, USN.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 77342 Lieutenant James O. Richardson, USN Photographed circa 1907-1914. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 45KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 865 Rear Admiral James O. Richardson, USN Photographed while serving as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, 1938. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 66KB; 560 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 54880 Rear Admiral James O. Richardson, USN Photographed while serving as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, 1938. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 52KB; 600 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 77052 Admiral James O. Richardson, USN, Commander Battle Force, U.S. Fleet At his desk on board the Battle Force flagship, 1939. Collection of Vice Admiral George C. Dyer, USN (Retired). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 77341 Commander James O. Richardson, USN, Commanding Officer, USS Asheville (PG-21) (left) Sightseeing via camel at the Sphinx, in Egypt, while Ashville was en route to the Far East via the Suez Canal, July 1922. With him are two of the ship's officers, Lieutenant William B. Young, USN(SC) and Lieutenant Roy W. Hayworth, USN(MC). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 119KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 54881 Admiral William D. Leahy, USN, (left) Chief of Naval Operations, congratulates Rear Admiral James O. Richardson, USN, (center) After Richardson was sworn in as the new Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, at the Navy Department, Washington, D.C., June 1938. Looking on is the outgoing Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 54892 Admiral James O. Richardson, USN, (foreground) Assumes command of the Battle Force, U.S. Fleet, in ceremonies on board USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), 24 June 1939. Captain Roland M. Brainard, Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander Battle Force, is in the background. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 82KB; 620 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 77082 Admiral James O. Richardson, USN, Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, (seated, center) With members of his staff on board the Fleet flagship, USS Pennsylvania (BB-39), January 1940. Those present are identified in Photo # NH 77082 (complete caption). Collection of Vice Admiral George C. Dyer, USN (Retired). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 515 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 54893 Admiral James O. Richardson, USN (center), Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet Studies a chart of "Cape Flatery to Dixon Entrance" and Fleet Problem instructions on board his flagship, USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), circa January-May 1940. With him are (at left) Admiral Charles P. Snyder, Commander, Battle Force, U.S. Fleet, and (at right) Vice Admiral William S. Pye, Commander Battleships, Battle Force. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 81942 Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox (right center) Confers with Admiral James O. Richardson (right), Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, in the Secretary's Office, Washington, D.C., on 10 October 1940. Also present are Admiral Harry E. Yarnell, USN(Retired) (left) and Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral Richardson was in Washington to protest the continued basing of the U.S. Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Collection of Admiral Harold R. Stark. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 125KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 77348 Admiral James O. Richardson, USN Takes the oath prior to giving testimony during a Congressional investigation of the Pearl Harbor attack, during World War II. Admiral Richardson was the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet, from January 1940 until February 1941. He retired on 1 October 1942, but remained on active during the rest of World War II. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
![]() |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 7 January 2001