Jesse Oldendorf

Jesse Oldendorf (1887-1974) retired as an admiral of the U.S. Navy in 1948, after a distinguished World War II career best known for his victory at the Battle of Surigao Strait. He was a gunnery specialist who, as the battleship became obsolete as the dominant naval force, remained an expert in the use of naval gunfire support.

While he met the Japanese at Surigao Strait with overwhelming force, he commented that his motto was "that of the old-time gambler: never give a sucker an even break."