Among his classmates were many future admirals including Arthur L. Bristol, William L. Calhoun, William A. Glassford, Charles C. Hartigan, Aubrey W. Fitch, Frank J. Fletcher, Isaac C. Kidd, John S. McCain Sr., Leigh Noyes, Ferdinand L. Reichmuth, John H. Towers, Russell Willson, Thomas Withers, Roland M. Brainard, Milo F. Draemel, and Sherwoode A.

Promoted to the rank of commander in July 1921, Ghormley served as aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1923 to 1925 and as executive officer of the battleship Oklahoma for the next two years.

In 1927 he became secretary of the Navy's General Board, in Washington, D.C., Captain Ghormley was chief of staff to the commanders of the Battle Force and U.S. Fleet during the early 1930s.

Rear Admiral Ghormley became director of the War Plans Division and Assistant Chief of Naval Operations, remaining in those positions until August 1940.

[11] The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, by the Japanese Imperial Navy using fast offensive aircraft carrier forces wrought destruction on the American battleships there at anchor.

[18] Thus, on July 10, Admiral Nimitz ordered the undertaking of Operation Watchtower, to immediately attack, seize, and hold the Solomon Islands of Guadalcanal and Tulagi.

Ghormley had been directed through original operational orders by Admiral King to "personally oversee" the Guadalcanal/Tulagi attacks by U.S. forces, meaning he was expected to be on site or in the immediate area of conflict.

[14] However, Ghormley was either absent in the early planning phases and subsequent invasions or else holed up in his headquarters once he finally moved to Nouméa, more than 900 miles (1,400 km) from Guadalcanal.

Ghormley also conveyed weak or indecisive communications to his commanders and was absent at critical planning meetings, which were marked by vociferous arguments between Admirals Fletcher and Turner over the length of time that carriers would be able to provide air cover to landing forces and supply ships.

Fletcher seemed to place more concern on protecting the aircraft carriers and on the overall fuel needs of the fleet over the immediate support requirements of the invasion force.

The heated arguments aside, Ghormley had assigned Fletcher as the commander, Expeditionary Force who had overriding authority to move carrier air support out of the battle area.

As a result of all these errors and misjudgments, both Admirals Nimitz and King became highly concerned with the precarious state of the conflict and Ghormley's ability to command in a sound manner.

[22] Some time later, according to Elmer B. Potter, the biographer of Nimitz, Ghormley "was found to be suffering from abscessed teeth, possibly the main cause of his shortcomings as ComSoPac.

"[23] Following his dismissal from South Pacific Force, Ghormley served in Washington, D.C., attached to the headquarters, United States Fleet under Admiral Ernest J.

[10][24] While recovering from surgery in 1958 at Bethesda Naval Hospital, Ghormley died at age 74 on June 21,[1] and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.