John Crommelin to William F. Knowland Letter

John G. Crommelin (1902–1996) was born in Montgomery, Alabama, the eldest of five brothers. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1923 and went on to serve a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy. During World War II, Crommelin became known as a courageous and skillful naval aviator, earning the nickname "bomb-run John." He served in key roles aboard the aircraft carrier Enterprise and was the chief of staff aboard the carrier Liscome Bay when it was sunk during the Makin Island campaign off the Gilbert Islands. Crommelin's military service earned him widespread recognition, though he also became known for his outspoken criticism of military politics, particularly after his transfer to the Pentagon in 1949. As a vocal critic of the Defense Department’s decision to prioritize the Air Force over the Navy, Crommelin's opposition placed him in conflict with the Navy’s leadership, resulting in his public reprimand and subsequent transfer. He retired from active duty as a rear admiral in 1950 after thirty years of service.

Following his military retirement, Crommelin returned to his family estate, Harrogate Springs, in Elmore County, Alabama, where he engaged in agriculture. However, Crommelin became increasingly involved in far-right political activism. He was a supporter of racist, segregationist, and anti-Semitic policies, even as these views were becoming less socially acceptable in the South. Crommelin’s political views led him to join the far-right National States’ Rights Party, for which he was nominated as Vice President in 1960 alongside Orval Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas. Though he lost most of his political races, including a 1964 Democratic primary and a 1968 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Crommelin’s views on segregation and racial issues remained central to his platform.

Crommelin’s later political involvement, which included vocal opposition to civil rights legislation, particularly the Civil Rights Act of 1964, tarnished his reputation as a war hero. Despite his reputation for courage during World War II, his support for segregation and his far-right views led to his political marginalization. His role in far-right organizations, coupled with his rhetoric, made him a controversial figure in Alabama’s political landscape for decades.