It was 1963 and Jim Oakes was a freshly minted ensign, commissioned after four years at the U.S. Naval Academy. His first fleet assignment was the USS Midway (CV-41) based at Naval Air Station Alameda. As it was for many of his fellow junior officers, San Francisco, just a short trip across the Bay Bridge, was an exciting city to enjoy a spot of liberty when not on duty.
About mid-span over the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge skips across Treasure Island, then a major base for the Navy. The island’s most famous resident at the time was retired Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, a naval icon and the hero of World War II as the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The admiral’s residence was known simply as Quarters #1.
“I would head over the Bay Bridge three out of four days heading into San Francisco,” remembered Jim, who spent a year each as a division officer in Midway’s engineering and navigation departments. “I got to thinking, here’s the most famous admiral in Navy history and he’s right here at my doorstep. I thought, what was the harm if I go there and just ask him to autograph my yearbook.”
It’s not every day that one of the Navy’s most junior officers decides that he’s going to make an unannounced call on someone with the rarified status as Adm. Nimitz.
“I was very nervous,” said Jim, a Pennsylvania native who grew up not far away in San Mateo, Calif. “I didn’t know what kind of response I would get, or if I’d end up in the brig for conduct unbecoming of a naval officer.”
On a mid-September afternoon, with his Naval Academy yearbook in hand, he summoned his inner fortitude and exited the Bay Bridge on to Treasure Island. With trepidation, he made his way to Quarters #1, parked near Adm. Nimitz’s house, walked to the front door, and rang the bell. His thoughts were racing.
“I figured maybe he’s not there and that no one answers the door,” said Jim, who attended the Naval Academy because he wanted to serve his country as a naval officer. “If he was there, he might blow me off and say you know the admiral doesn’t do that that sort of thing. I was not that optimistic.”
After what seemed like an eternity, a Navy steward finally answered the door. Jim explained who he was and why he was there. The steward told him to wait on the porch. Several minutes later, he was asked to come in.
“I was absolutely surprised to be asked to come in,” said Jim, who later served as the navigator on the USS Monticello (LSD-35). “My heart started to really pound at about that point.”
The steward led Jim down a hallway, into a small elevator that took them to up to a second floor. He then escorted him into the admiral’s study. The room was more like an exclusive museum that was adorned with memorabilia from his more than 40-year naval career – awards, plaques, books and photographs.
After a few minutes, in walked the stately-looking, 78-year-old admiral. With a cane in his left hand he hobbled a bit as he moved, but he purposefully made his way to where Jim was standing, extended his hand and said “Nimitz, 05.”
“I was shocked,” recalled Jim, who finished his naval career assigned to the 12th Naval District in San Francisco. “I kind of was taken aback, but I stuck my hand out and said Oakes 63, and we shook hands. That was a special moment.”
Over the next 20 to 25 minutes, the admiral graciously showed Jim his own Naval Academy yearbook, pointing out the photos of when he was the coxswain on the midshipmen’s crew team. He recalled the admiral was not only friendly and charming, but completely unpretentious. He then asked the admiral if he would sign his yearbook.
To Jim’s surprise, the admiral said, “Well, I’m going to do you one better.”
Instead of offering to sign Jim’s yearbook, he retrieved a photo of himself signing the terms of surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri (BB-63) on Sept. 2, 1945 that officially ended World War II. He told Jim that he had been saving the photo to give to someone who had done him a favor earlier, but could no longer remember their name. So instead of signing his yearbook, he autographed the famous photo for the young ensign.
When the admiral asked Jim what he thought about getting the signed photo, Jim said simply, “That’s fantastic.”
The inscription on the photo reads, “To Ensign Anthony J. Oakes, Jr., with best wishes and appreciation. C.W. Nimitz, Fleet Admiral.”
“After thanking the admiral several times, I departed and couldn’t believe what had transpired,” said Jim, who left the Navy in 1967. “I now possessed a signed copy of the famous World War II picture on the Missouri.”
A few months later, Jim and Midway deployed to the Western Pacific. At 23 years old, he had his career ahead of him. He remembers that he was filled with enthusiasm and ready to make his mark on the world. His future optimism was enhanced, however, with the knowledge that he now possessed one of the most famous photos of World War II autographed by one of the U.S. Navy’s most famous and accomplished naval officers.
The photo currently hangs in the den of Jim’s San Francisco home and even after more than 60 years, continues to be a fascinating conversation piece. Jim also made sure that his fellow midshipmen classmates knew about the photo.
“After reliving this day many times over the years, I settled on the moral of the story,” said Jim, who became an institutional stock broker following his four years in the Navy. “Nothing ventured nothing gained.”
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