Frank Jack Fletcher was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, on 29 April 1885. Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1906, he served in many ships over the next three decades, commanding five destroyers, a battleship and three other ships. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for distinguished conduct during the Vera Cruz intervention in 1914. Fletcher also held several staff positions and shore billets. Promoted to Rear Admiral in the later 1930s, he continued to receive important assignments. In December 1941, during the first weeks of the Pacific War, he commanded the abortive Wake Island relief expedition.

In early January 1942, Rear Admiral Fletcher was given command of a carrier task force with USS Yorktown (CV-5) as his flagship. After supporting the reinforcement of strategically vital South Pacific islands, his task force raided Japanese positions in the Central Pacific, New Guinea and the Solomons. In May and June 1942, he was senior officer present during the battles of Coral Sea and Midway, in which the Japanese fleet was decisively repulsed. As the U.S. took the offensive in August 1942, Vice Admiral Fletcher commanded the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi, and fought the carrier Battle of the Eastern Solomons later in the month.

In November 1942, he became Commander, Thirteenth Naval District and Commander, Northwestern Sea Frontier. A year later, he was placed in charge of the Northern Pacific area, holding that position until after the end of World War II, when his forces occupied northern Japan. Vice Admiral Fletcher's final duty was as Chairman of the General Board, and he was advanced to the rank of Admiral upon retirement in May 1947. Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher died on 25 April 1973.

USS Fletcher (DD-992) was named in honor of Admiral Fletcher.