William Harrison Standley

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William Harrison Standley bigraphy, stories - United States admiral

William Harrison Standley : biography

18 December 1872 – 25 October 1963

William Harrison Standley (18 December 1872 – 25 October 1963) was a U.S. admiral. He served as the Chief of Naval Operations between 1933 and 1937. He also served as the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1941 until 1943.

Biography

William Standley was born in Ukiah, California, where his grandfather operated a hotel, and his father, "Doc" Standley was Mendocino County Sheriff. William Standley graduated from the Naval Academy in 1895. He then served the required two years’ sea duty in the cruiser before he received his commission as an ensign in 1897. During the Spanish–American War, he served in the monitor and later in the gunboat . After the fighting with Spain had ended, he joined the gunboat , during the Philippine–American War. He won a commendation for bravery during a volunteer reconnaissance mission carried out at Baler, on 11 April 1899. In conjunction with a feint conducted by Lt. J. C. Gilmore, Standley—then an ensign—ventured into enemy territory to reconnoiter insurgent positions.

Ordered to the gunboat on 29 May 1901, Standley later became Officer in Charge, Branch Hydrographic Office, San Francisco, California, in October of the same year. Assigned to the training ship in June 1902, he later served as engineer in the ship and as aide to the Commandant of the Naval Station at Tutuila, Samoa. Designated as the captain of the yard there in 1905, Standley discharged his duties as officer in charge of the native guard and chief customs officer until detached with orders to the United States in October 1906.

Reporting to the receiving ship in January 1907, Standley served as executive officer of the cruiser from February 1909 to August 1910. From January 1910, he also discharged duties as Albany’s navigator as well. Standley then reported to the armored cruiser on 3 November 1910 and was navigator of that ship until becoming aide to the Commandant of the Mare Island Navy Yard at Vallejo, California. After three years in that post, Standley became executive officer of the battleship and later took command of the gunboat Yorktown on 15 May 1915.

World War I

Returning to the Naval Academy on 14 October 1916, as Assistant to the Superintendent in charge of Building and Grounds, he later served for 11 months as Commandant of Midshipmen. Under his direction, the new seamanship and navigation buildings were constructed, and over four million dollars were expended in enlarging Bancroft Hall to accommodate the increased number of midshipmen appointed during the World War I period. For his "highly meritorious" service in those posts at Annapolis, Standley received a special letter of commendation from the Secretary of the Navy.

Detached from the Naval Academy in July 1919, Standley soon thereafter assumed command of the pre-dreadnought battleship and, a year later, received orders to attend the Naval War College. After completing his studies at Newport, Standley returned to sea, serving as Assistant Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Battle Fleet, from 5 July 1921 to 30 June 1923, before he reported to Washington for duty heading the War Plans Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Completing the latter tour on 1 February 1926, Standley then commanded from 15 February 1926 to 11 October 1927.

He returned to shore duty in Washington, D.C., as Director of the Fleet Training Division, Office of the CNO, and held that post until 14 May 1928. He then served as Assistant CNO until 17 September 1930, when he became Commander, Destroyer Squadrons, Battle Fleet, a title that changed to Commander, Destroyers, Battle Force, United States Fleet, on 1 April 1931, with additional duty as Commander, Destroyers, United States Fleet. Designated as a member of the Navy Department’s Selection Board on 18 November 1931, Standley became Commander, Cruisers, Scouting Forces—with additional duties as Commander, Cruisers, U.S. Fleet, and Commander, Cruiser Division 5—on 16 December of the same year.