AN ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER
Robert Pearce Briscoe graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1918, and served aboard the battleship USS Alabama (BB-8) and the destroyer USS Roe (DDL-24) during World War One. In 1919 he was the Engineer Officer of the destroyer USS Humphreys (DD-236), and during the Turko-Greek fighting in 1920-1921, he commanded a naval landing force at Derindge, Turkey. He next served aboard the USS Flusser (DD-289) and the USS Henderson (AP-1), before a recruiting duty tour at Little Rock, Arkansas, and then aboard the battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48). This was followed by a tour as an instructor in mechanical engineering at the Naval Academy, after which he was in the orient aboard the destroyer USS Edsall (DD-219) and then the cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) before returning again in 1934 to the Naval Academy where he served three years as head of the Department of Chemistry. Returning to sea duty he was the navigator of the battleship USS Mississippi (BB-41) before a tour as Assistant Director of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Navy Department Liaison Officer with the National Defense Research Committee.
As World War II commenced, he assumed command of the repair ship USS Prometheus (AR-3). This was followed by command of the cruiser USS Denver (CL-58) and was in command during the Northern Solomon Islands campaign during which he was awarded the Navy Cross for the ship’s performance. In 1944 he joined the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet, in Washington, D.C., as head of New Developments and was promoted to flag rank. In September 1945, he took command of the Operational Development Force, Atlantic Fleet, which was followed after two years by a tour as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Readiness) and then Commander Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet. In January 1952 he commanded the U.S. Seventh Fleet in Korean waters. This was followed by assignment in 1956 as Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe. Admiral Briscoe retired from the Navy in January 1959 and settled in Mississippi where he raised cattle. He died on October 14, 1968 of an apparent heart attack and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.
NAVY CROSS CITATION
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Robert Pearce Briscoe, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Light Cruiser USS DENVER (CL-58), during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Northern Solomons Area from 30 October to 2 November 1943. As a unit of Task Force THIRTY-NINE, Captain Briscoe fought his ship gallantly against terrific enemy opposition during a thirty-six hour period of conflict, proceeding through unfamiliar and poorly charted waters and participating in the initial bombardment of Buka-Bonie and the first daylight assault on the Shortland-Faisi-Ballale Area. In a desperate night engagement against a Japanese task force of superior fire power, the DENVER assisted in the sinking of five enemy warships, the damaging of four others and the routing of the Japanese surface forces. Later, under the deadly attack of sixty-seven hostile bombers, Captain Briscoe directed the anti-aircraft fire of his ship in a concentrated barrage which resulted in the destruction of seventeen Japanese planes. His aggressive leadership and gallant conduct under fire contributed to the security of our beachhead at Empress Augusta Bay and to the successful establishment of our land and air forces on Bougainville Island. The conduct of Captain Briscoe throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)
