Raymond A. Spruance

Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 – December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral in World War II.

Spruance commanded US naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific theater, the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The Battle of Midway was the first major victory for the United States over Japan and is seen by many as the turning point of the Pacific war. The Battle of the Philippine Sea was also a significant victory for the US. The Navy's official historian said of the Battle of Midway "...Spruance's performance was superb...(he) emerged from this battle one of the greatest admirals in American naval history". After the war, Spruance was appointed President of the Naval War College, and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines.

Raymond A. Spruance in Joe Steele
Captain Spruance was the chairman of the military tribunal that tried the Supreme Court Four. Also on the tribunal were Colonel Marshall and Majors Bradley and Eisenhower but Captain Spruance dominated the proceedings. He started the hearing at ten o'clock sharp having the doors sealed and then the defendants brought in.

All four pleaded guilty on the charges of treason and threw themselves on the mercy of the tribunal. When Levine, one of the defense lawyers, objected that the confessions were coerced, Captain Spruance questioned each of the defendants and determined to his own satisfaction they were not. He then asked each to explain their actions indicating that they were not obligated to do so but that it might indicate mitigating circumstances.

Captain Spruance began with with James McReynolds who explained that the justices felt they needed to stop President Joe Steele at any cost, that he was the American Trotsky. he also admitted that they conspired with a foreign government to do so. George Sutherland then added that they also had the help of other "good, loyal Americans". At Captain Spruance's prompt, Sutherland named Senator Huey Long and Father Charles Coughlin. Captain Spruance made sure this was all noted down and then adjourned the tribunal until two o'clock that afternoon for deliberations.

The tribunal resumed at two sharp. Captain Spruance announced the verdict of guilty to the charge of treason and the sentence of death by firing squad. For both, he had the rest of the tribunal verbally assert their unanimity in the results. He then had the guards escort the convicts to their cells to await the sentence.