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John B. Hattendorf collection of John L. McCrea papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSC-356

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of correspondence and photographs relating to Admiral McCrea’s professional career and personal interests. Of particular interest are photographs with President Franklin D. Roosevelt upon their return from the Casablanca Conference in 1943.

Dates

  • Creation: 1918, 1942-1953

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Access is open to all researchers, unless otherwise specified.

Conditions Governing Use

Material in this collection is in the public domain, unless otherwise noted.

Biographical Note

John Livingstone McCrea (1891-1990), son of Dr. Henry and Lilly Livingstone McCrea, was born in Marlette, Michigan on 1891 May 29. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1915, following his graduation from the United States Naval Academy, until his retirement in 1953 as a vice admiral.

Admiral McCrea served in both world wars. During World War I, he served in the battleship New York, which was a unit of the Sixth Battle Squadron and operated with the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea throughout the last year of the war. In the interwar period, McCrea served on a series of different ships and attended the U.S. Naval War College graduating in 1924. He also worked in the Office of the Judge Advocate General, Navy Department, and was the aide to the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Harold R. Stark. He also served as naval secretary at the first meeting of the Combined Chiefs of Staff at the Arcadia Conference in December 1941.

At the start of World War II, he was appointed naval aide to the President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In this role, he accompanied the President to wartime conferences at Casablanca, Cairo and Tehran. He also established the White House Map Room and Shangri-La (current day Camp David). In August 1944, McCrea was promoted to the rank of rear admiral and assumed command of Cruiser Division ONE and a task force in the Aleutian waters in the North Pacific. Upon the death of President Roosevelt in April 1945, McCrea was recalled to Washington and served in various positions in the Navy Department, later rising to the rank of vice admiral.

McCrea retired from the Navy in 1953 and began work in the private sector. He worked as a vice president for client relations at John Hancock Life Insurance Company in Boston, retiring in 1966. Admiral John L. McCrea died on 1990 January 25 in Needham, Massachusetts.

Chronology of Naval Service Note

1891
Born May 29 in Marlette, Michigan
1915
Graduated from United States Naval Academy
1915-1919
U.S.S. New York (BB-34)
1919-1921
U.S.S. New Mexico (BB-40)
Aide to Admiral Hugh Rodman, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet
1922
Executive officer, U.S.S. Ramapo (AO-12)
1923-1924
Student at U.S. Naval War College
1924-1926
Commander, U.S.S. Bittern (AM-36)
1926-1929
Assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General
1929
Bachelor of law degree, George Washington University
1929-1931
Aide and flag secretary to the Commander, Special Service Squadron operating in Central American waters
1932-1934
Aide to Orin G. Murfin, Judge Advocate General
1934
Masters of law degree, George Washington University
1934-1936
Navigator, U.S.S. Astoria (CA-34)
1936
Promotion to Commander
1936-1937
Executive officer of naval station and aide for civil administration, Guam
1938-1940
Executive officer, U.S.S. Pennsylvania (BB-38)
1940-1941
Aide to Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations
Naval secretary at the first meetings of the Combined Chiefs of Staff
1942
Promotion to Captain
1942-1943
Naval aide to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
1943-1944
Commander, U.S.S. Iowa (BB-61)
1944
Promotion to Rear Admiral
1944-1945
Commander, Cruiser Division One in attacks on Japanese installations in the Aleutian and Kurile islands
1946
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations
1948-1949
Deputy Commander, United States Pacific Fleet
1949-1952
Director of Staff, Personnel Policy Board, United States Navy
1953
Retirement from U.S. Navy
1953-1966
Vice-president for client relations, John Hancock Life Insurance Co.
1990
Died January 25 in Needham, Massachusetts

Extent

.25 Linear Feet (1 half archival box, 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Vice Admiral John Livingstone McCrea (1891-1990) served in the Navy from 1915 until his retirement in 1953. These papers include correspondence and photographs relating to his professional career and personal interests.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in alphabetical order by type.

Custodial History

Dr. Hattendorf purchased this collection from online auctions, 2018 March.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Dr. John B. Hattendorf, 2018 March (Ms.Ac.2018.3).

Processing Information

This collection was processed in accordance with archival and local standards by Elizabeth Delmage, 2018 July.

Title
Guide to the John B. Hattendorf collection of John L. McCrea papers
Status
Dacs Finding Aid
Author
Elizabeth Delmage
Date
2018 Nov 7
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Naval War College Archives Repository

Contact:
US Naval War College
686 Cushing Rd
Newport RI 02841 US