These silent 16mm home movies are from the estate of someone who was close to Admiral Louis E. Denfeld and likely date to the mid to late 1950s. It's just possible that they are from 1950, when the subject of the film Admiral Denfeld was forced to retire due to his participating in the so-called "Revolt of the Admirals."
The film begins in Hawaii where the sign for "Admiral L.E. Denfeld" is seen at 13:00. Admiral Denfeld led Battleship Division 9 in 1945, and was the commander of the Pacific Fleet in 1947. At 23:00 the headquarters for the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet is seen. At 32 seconds Denfeld is shown walking outside the building although he does not appear to be in his normal uniform. At 50 seconds a group of men are seen but their faces are obscured (sad to say!) At 1:14, views are seen of Waikiki Beach from what might be the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. At 1:55 another beach resort is visible. At 3:30, footage is seen from inside an airplane cockpit. What might be a blimp or dirigible hangar is visible at 4:27. At 7:00, a plane containing Admiral Denfeld arrives at the airport, and the Admiral comes off the plane wearing a pith helmet and carrying a rifle. He is greeted by a press photographer and family members. At 8:22 he poses at the steps of the airplane. The Admiral is once again seen at 9;20, this type with a group of unidentified Navy brass.
Louis Emil Denfeld (April 13, 1891 – March 28, 1972) was Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy from December 15, 1947 to November 1, 1949. He also held several significant surface commands during World War II, and after the war commanded the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Born in Westborough, Massachusetts, Denfeld graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1912. He took command of the destroyer McCall (DD-28) in 1919 and served aboard the submarine S-24 (SS-129) during 1923 and 1924. He commanded Destroyer Division 11 from 1935 to 1937.
Denfeld was selected to be aide to the Chief of Naval Operations in 1939, then commanded first Destroyer Division 18, then Destroyer Squadron 1 from 1939 to 1941. He served as Chief of Staff to the Commander of the Atlantic fleet, Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll. For planning of safe routes for escort convoys in this capacity, Denfeld received the Legion of Merit. He became head of the Atlantic Fleet Support Force in 1941, then assistant chief to the Bureau of Navigation in 1942. He led Battleship Division 9 in 1945, was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Personnel in 1945, and commanded Pacific Fleet and all U.S. forces in the area in 1947.
On February 28, 1947 Denfeld was named Military Governor of the Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, and Mariana Islands, replacing Admiral John H. Towers. Denfeld was appointed Chief of Naval Operations on December 15, 1947. Due to his role in the "Revolt of the Admirals", he was detached from duty by the Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Matthews on November 1, 1949, and retired in 1950. A Cold War incident known as the "Revolt of the Admirals" involved a number of retired and active-duty United States Navy admirals who publicly disagreed with President Harry S. Truman and Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson in their emphasis on strategic nuclear bombing executed by the United States Air Force as the primary means by which the nation and its interests were defended. The episode occurred in 1949 during a time wherein the administration was attempting to severely reduce military expenditures. He was a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1950. He lost the Republican nomination to Arthur W. Coolidge. Denfield died in Westborough, Massachusetts at the age of 80. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
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