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Husband Kimmel

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Military Personnel

The Resume

    (February 26, 1882-May 14, 1968)
    Born in Henderson, Kentucky
    Rear Admiral
    Commander of the Pacific Fleet (February-December, 1941)

Why he might be annoying:

    After Pearl Harbor, the Roberts Commission found him in dereliction of duty.
    Although a warning 10 days before the attack ordered him to initiate defensive deployment of the fleet, he did not even put the crews on alert.
    After the Navy lost track of Japan's aircraft carriers, he did not send any air or naval patrols to find them.
    The army and navy in Hawaii did not share intelligence information or plan a joint defense.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Many feel he and Army General Walter Short were scapegoats for intelligence failures higher up the chain of command.
    One member of the Roberts Commission, Admiral William Standley, disavowed the final report, saying, 'If they had been brought to trial, both would have been cleared of the charge.'
    The US Senate passed a non-binding resolution to exonerate him and Short (1999).
    As he watched the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a spent bullet crashed through the window and brushed against him. He said, 'It would have been merciful had it killed me.'
    His son died when his submarine was sunk by a Japanese mine (1944).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 69 Votes: 44.93% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 19 Votes: 21.05% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 10 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 92 Votes: 51.09% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 313 Votes: 66.77% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 29 Votes: 13.79% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 35.71% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 59 Votes: 61.02% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 44 Votes: 56.82% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 44 Votes: 40.91% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying