Chester W. Nimitz Quotes & Sayings

Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue. — Chester W. Nimitz

Is the proposed operation likely to succeed? What might the consequences of failure? Is it in the realm of practicability in terms of material and supplies? — Chester W. Nimitz

By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their country which only history will be able to value fully. Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue. — Chester W. Nimitz

Hindsight is notably cleverer than foresight. — Chester W. Nimitz

The U.S.'s major strength factor and weapon is its economy. If you cripple it, you cripple the military. — Chester W. Nimitz

I have just taken on a great responsibility. I will do my utmost to meet it. — Chester W. Nimitz

That is not to say that we can relax our readiness to defend ourselves. Our armament must be adequate to the needs, but our faith is not primarily in these machines of defense but in ourselves. — Chester W. Nimitz

We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds. — Chester W. Nimitz

The enemy of our games was always Japan, and the courses were so thorough that after the start of World War II, nothing that happened in the Pacific was strange or unexpected. — Chester W. Nimitz

Some of the best advice I've had comes from junior officers and enlisted men. — Chester W. Nimitz

No other island received as much preliminary pounding as did Iwo Jima. — Chester W. Nimitz

Through the skill and devotion to duty of their armed forces of all branches in the Midway area our citizens can now rejoice that a momentous victory is in the making. — Chester W. Nimitz

THEY FOUGHT TOGETHER AS BROTHERS-IN-ARMS. THEY DIED TOGETHER AND NOW THEY SLEEP SIDE BY SIDE. TO THEM WE HAVE A SOLEMN OBLIGATION. — Chester W. Nimitz

The best that science can devise and that naval organization can provide must be regarded only as an aid, and never as a substitute for good seamanship. — Chester W. Nimitz

We must not again underestimate the Japanese. — Chester W. Nimitz

The battle of Iwo Island has been won. The United States Marines by their individual and collective courage have conquered a base which is as necessary to us in our continuing forward movement toward final victory as it was vital to the enemy in staving off ultimate defeat. — Chester W. Nimitz

A ship is always referred to as 'she' because it costs so much to keep one in paint and powder. — Chester W. Nimitz

Our present control of the sea is so absolute that it is sometimes taken for granted. — Chester W. Nimitz

The Japanese had, in fact, already sued for peace. The atomic bomb played no decisive part, from a purely military point of view, in the defeat of Japan. — Chester W. Nimitz

It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it is not fought on U.S. soil. — Chester W. Nimitz

If you're not making waves, you're not under weigh. — Chester W. Nimitz

When you're in command, command. — Chester W. Nimitz

Luck can be attributed to a well-conceived plan carried out by a well-trained and indoctrinated task group. — Chester W. Nimitz

Leadership consists of picking good men and helping them do their best. — Chester W. Nimitz

When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet in 31 December, 1941; our submarines were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the Fleet that could come to grips with the Japanese for months to come. It was to the Submarine Force that I looked to carry the load until our great industrial activity could produce the weapons we so sorely needed to carry the war to the enemy. It is to the everlasting honor and glory of our submarine personnel that they never failed us in our days of peril. — Chester W. Nimitz

I felt that it was an unnecessary loss of civilian life ... We had them beaten. They hadn't enough food, they couldn't do anything. — Chester W. Nimitz