Following World War I, Halsey's service was mostly in
destroyers, although he also held an assignment in naval
intelligence and was a naval attaché in Berlin. Promoted to
captain in 1927, he commanded the Reina Mercedes, the Naval
Academy training ship, and became fascinated by naval aviation.
Halsey attended both the Naval War College and Army War College,
and in 1935, despite his age, he completed naval flight training
and took command of the aircraft carrier Saratoga. Promoted to
rear admiral in 1937, Halsey assumed command of Carrier Division
2 of the Enterprise and Yorktown. He was promoted to vice
admiral in 1940. Halsey was at sea on 7 December 1941 when
Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor. In early 1942, Halsey's
carriers raided Japanese central Pacific installations and
launched Colonel James Doolittle's raid on Tokyo in April. Acute
skin disorders requiring hospitalization removed him from the
Battle of Midway in June 1942. In October 1942, Halsey replaced
Admiral Robert Ghormley as commander of