The Victor of Samar

Despite his outstanding fight in the defense of “Taffy 3” off Samar during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Clifton “Ziggy” Sprague (USNA 1917), had to wait until 1995 for a biography, which is now back in print in paperback. While the events off Samar on October 25, 1944 form an important part of this work, naval historian Wukovits, author of For Crew and Country and several other books on some particularly daring fights during the Pacific War, provides comprehensive coverage of Sprague’s entire life and naval career.

Wukovits gives us a look at Sprague’s family background, his time at the Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1917, a year early due to World War I. Sprague served ashore and in the fleet, and then at the end of 1920 became a naval aviator. By the time of Pearl Harbor, Sprague was commanding a seaplane tender, and after serving in the South Pacific for a time, performed staff duty in the anti-submarine war in the Atlantic, before becoming captain of the second USS Wasp (CV 18). After taking part in raids against Japanese-held islands, the invasion of Saipan, and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Sprague was promoted to rear admiral, and given command of Taffy 3, the escort carrier task group with which he fought the battle off Samar.

Wukovits shows Sprague to have been an outstanding officer, and well-liked by the other officers and the men with whom he served. Clear headed under fire, his conduct at Samar was the high point of his naval service, but proved insufficient to see him attain the highest ranks in the Navy, in part, Wukovits suggests, due to his accommodating personality. Sprague was only promoted to vice-admiral upon his retirement.

Devotion to Duty is good read for anyone with an interest in naval history.

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