| Claude Vernon Ricketts | |
| Birth Date: | 23 February 1906 |
| Birth Place: | Missouri, US |
| Branch: | United States Navy |
| Serviceyears: | 1929–1964 |
| Rank: | Admiral |
| Commands: | Vice Chief of Naval Operations |
| Battles: | World War II |
| Awards: | Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Navy Commendation Medal |
| Relations: | RADM Myron Ricketts (son) |
Claude Vernon Ricketts (February 23, 1906 – July 6, 1964) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1961 to 1964.
Ricketts graduated from high school in Kansas in 1922. He enlisted in the Navy, attended the United States Naval Academy, and became an officer upon his graduation in 1929. He was captain of the boxing team for two years at Annapolis. As a lieutenant, he was the gunnery officer on board the during the attack on Pearl Harbor. In addition to his duties with the anti-aircraft battery, he helped attend dying captain Mervyn Bennion, with the aid of Doris Miller; assisted in counter-flooding the ship after it heeled over from six torpedoes and two bombs; and assisted in fire fighting.[1] [2] He was awarded with the Legion of Merit and the Navy Commendation Medal for his service in World War II.
Ricketts commanded during 1955. In July 1952 he became head of the Amphibious Warfare Branch in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations under command of Admiral William Fechteler. He later became commander of the Second Fleet and then assumed duties as the Vice Chief of Naval Operations in September 1961. He succeeded admiral James Sargent Russell in this capacity.
Admiral Claude Vernon Ricketts died of a massive heart attack on July 6, 1964, while still in office. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. After his death, the destroyer USS Biddle was renamed in his honor, as was Ricketts Hall[3] at the Naval Academy.
Claude's son Rear Admiral Myron Ricketts, USN Ret., designed and engineered many ships.
Here is the ribbon bar of Admiral Claude V. Ricketts:
| Naval Aviator Badge | |||||||||||||
| 1st Row | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Legion of Merit with "V" Device | Navy Commendation Medal with "V" Device | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp | American Campaign Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with seven Service stars | ||||||||||
| 3rd Row | World War II Victory Medal | Navy Occupation Service Medal | National Defense Service Medal with one service star | ||||||||||