File:Arthur S. Carpender (33973529944).jpg

Portrait photograph of Arthur Carpender. [Continues from past post] After WWI, Carpender took control of some ship, until September 1939, when he helped fit out a new destroyer squadron, Destroyer Squadron 32. In December 1941, he was promoted to rear admiral, as Commander Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet. With the U.S. in war, in late 1942, Carpender worked in the Southwest Pacific Area, taking command of the naval forces based in Western Australia. Carpender took a great interest in submarine operations, and did not like how they were being conducted. In the latter, he would answerable directly to the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, General Douglas MacArthur. The new post came with a promotion to the rank of vice admiral, but Carpender was not the most senior naval officer in the theatre, which increased concerning the fact the Southwest Pacific Force consisted of just five cruisers, eight destroyers and 20 submarines. On 1943, the Southwest Pacific Force, known colloquially as "MacArthur’s Navy", would become the Seventh Fleet. It acquired an amphibious force under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey, which eventually became the VII Amphibious Force. Carpender analized the task force and made effective use of PT Boats during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. During the Battle of Finschhafen, when Carpender became reluctant to reinforce the Australian zone. Carpender then agreed to use high-speed transports, converted destroyers, to send additional forces to Finschhafen. Carpender was replaced by Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid on 26 November 1943. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal by MacArthur, and the Legion of Merit by the Navy, later being distinguished as honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire on the recommendation of the Australian government, and a Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau by the Netherlands. He retired from the Navy on 1 November 1946, with a tombstone promotion to the rank of admiral. He lived in retirement in Washington, D.C. until his death on 10 January 1960.

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