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What are your favorite naval leaders?

I feel like reading up on some naval heroes, admirals or captains. Or other persons who have had a significance in the maritime warfare history. Maybe you can help me out by making a list with five or so of your personal favorites. It would be nice if you could mention why you like him as well. All epochs are welcome.

Good question:

Horatio Nelson - The battles of the Nile, Copenhagen, Trafalgar et al. I find reading about that period can be a little difficult, but as a commander, battle winner, bravery beyond comprehension, and all round hero, he takes pride of place; quite. simply. numero. uno [&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

Raymond Spruance - I know he gets it in the neck in some quarters for his decision at The Philippine Sea, but I think unfairly. He was s top man in my book [&o][&o][&o]

Andrew Cunningham - For his handling - against the odds - of the Mediterranean Fleet in WWII. Always trying to take the battle to the Italian/German forces; but above all for his refusal to abandon the army in Crete [&o][&o][&o][&o]

Philip Vian - Is there anything he didn't put his hand to? WWI, WWII, destroyers, cruisers, aircraft carriers..would love to read more about this guy [&o][&o][&o]

Chester Nimitz - The right man, in the right place, at the right time. Never afraid to make hard decisions, trusting of his subordinates, and a good military brain [&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

Francis Drake

Then of course there are those lower down the command chain worthy of mention, amongst them:


Capt Sherbrooke - Battle of the Barents Sea - kept his destroyers between two German heavy cruisers and the convoy he was protecting
Capt Warburton-Lee - Battle of Narvik - took on a superior force of German destroyers during the battle for Sweden
Lt Cdr Wanklyn - Mediterranean (Submarines)
Cdr Miers - Mediterranean (Submarines) - both aggressive and successful submarine commanders
Capt Fegen - Atlantic - bought time for his convoy by putting his auxiliary merchant ship in harms way against the Admiral Scheer
Lt Wilkinson - Pacific - took on Japanese heavy cruisers with his little gunboat
Lt-Cdr Prien - for his audacious attack on the Royal Oak at Scapa Flow
Lt-Cdr Hartenstein - for his chivalrous behaviour after sinking the Laconia
Captain Langsdorff - a disobedience of orders cost him his ship and his life, but he was a successful captain and a humane individual too.
Captainb Welding-Olsen - who brvely challenged the German fleet heading for Oslofjord and got away warning rockets ahead of the attack

The NCO's and Officer's in the firerooms and engineering spaces that kept their men at their station during battle, not knowing what was going on top side....That is a Leader Gentelmen.[&o]

Marc Mitscher-- So many leaders to admire during WW 2 but this Admiral sticks out IMO-
 
"He spoke in a low voice and used few words. Yet, so great was his concern for his people — for their training and welfare in peacetime and their rescue in combat — that he was able to obtain their final ounce of effort and loyalty, without which he could not have become the preeminent carrier force commander in the world. A bulldog of a fighter, a strategist blessed with an uncanny ability to foresee his enemy's next move, and a lifelong searcher after truth and trout streams, he was above all else — perhaps above all other — a Naval Aviator." --> Arleigh Burke

Thank you for the suggestions. I will try to read up on them all. [:)]