User:Howard C. Berkowitz/Zumwalt

Elmo R. ("Bud") Zumwalt, Jr. (1920-2000) retired as an Admiral, U.S. Navy, who served as 19th Chief of Naval Operations (1970-1974). While CNO, he was popularly known for his "Z-gram" messages that abolished what he considered unreasonable yet traditional regulations that diminished the quality of life of sailors.

He was thereafter active in political, policy and business pursuits until his death on 2 January 2000. He had explored a candidacy for U.S. Senate from Virginia.

Senior command
After graduating from the National War College, he became executive assistant to Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze, with whom he had worked previously and regarded as a mentor. He advised Nitze during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The newly promoted, Rear Admiral Zumwalt then commanded Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven and served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He became Commander Naval Forces, Vietnam in September 1968 and was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral shortly thereafter.

Middle career
In 1950, Lieutenant Commander Zumwalt received his first command, USS Tills (DE-748), and then the detroyer USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869).

Zumwalt was under consideration for a command or executive officer billet on a nuclear-powered surface ship, for which every candidate was subjected to a stressful personal interview by Admiral Hyman Rickover. In his autobiography, Zumwalt described Rickover as abusive. While Rickover eventually accepted him, Zumwalt declined his offer, preferring both to stay out of Rickover's orbit and to take command of the Navy's first guided missile frigate, ''USS Dewey (DLG-14)]], in 1959-61.

Promoted to the rank of Captain in July 1961,

Early life
Born in San Francisco, California, on 29 November 1920, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1942, with the accelerated Class of '43, he served mainly in destroyers during World War II and continued in surface ship assignments after the war.