As commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Chester W. Nimitz (1885-1966) led his country's naval forces from the defeat at Pearl Harbor in 1941 to total victory over Japan in 1945. After attending the U.S. Navel Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, he served on submarines during World War I. In 1939, he headed the navy's Bureau of Naigation, taking on the role of commander in chief after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Nimitz was known for his organizational abilities and calm manner in times of danger. He oversaw the team of admirals that won the battles of Midway (1942), the Solomon Island (1942-1943), the Marshall Island and the Philippines (1944), and Iwo Jima (1945). He correctly foresaw the end of traditional battleship strategy and recognized the importance of naval air power. Historian Samuel Morison said of Nimitz, "He had the capacity to organize...the leadership to weld his own subordinates into a great fighting team, the courage to take neccessary risks, and the wisdom to select...the correct strategy to defeat Japan."