Station HYPO

In the months leading up to the devastating Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, few voices within the U.S. Navy spoke out with the clarity and conviction of Admiral James O. Richardson. As Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet (CINCUS) from January 1940 to February 1941, Richardson was uniquely positioned to assess the strategic posture of the Pacific Fleet. Yet despite his experience and reasoned objections, his warnings about relocating the fleet to Hawaii were ultimately disregarded—decisions that would have profound consequences for the United States and the course of World War II.