Future admirial William Frederick Halsey was a naval destroyer commander during World War l. He qualified as a naval aviator in 1935 and led carrier raids against Japanese-held Marshall and Gilbert Islands. From 1942 to 1944 he commanded US naval forces in the South Pacific and from 1944 to 1945 he was commander of the Third Fleet. The terms of the Japanese surrender were signed aboard his ship, the USS Missouri. Bibliography: Merrill, James M. A Sailor's Admiral : A Biography of William F. Halsey . 1976. Crowell Ty Co. Keating, L. A. Fleet Admiral the Story of William F. Halsey. 1971. Westminster Press. Blassingame, Wyatt. William F. Halsey, Five Star Admiral . 1970. Garrard Pub Co.