William S. Benson
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- For the Australian/New Zealand geologist, see William Noel Benson
| William Shepherd Benson | |
|---|---|
| 1855-1932 | |
 |
|
| Place of birth | Macon, Georgia |
| Place of death | Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance | USN |
| Unit | Dolphin |
| Commands | Utah (BB-31), Philadelphia Navy Yard |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
William Shepherd Benson (25 September 1855 – 20 May 1932) was an admiral in the United States Navy and the first Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), holding the post throughout World War I.
Born in Macon, Georgia, Benson graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1877. His early years of sea duty included cruise around the World in Dolphin during the 1880s. He was also active in coast survey and hydrographic duties, was an instructor at the Naval Academy, commanded the cruiser Albany (CL-23) and served as a flag aide and fleet chief of staff, in addition to other assignments.
In 1911, Captain Benson became the first Commanding Officer of the battleship Utah (BB-31). He was Commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1913-15, and from there was ordered to Washington, D.C., where he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and became the Navy's first Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).
Benson was heavily involved in defining the functions of the new CNO position and strengthening the Navy during a period marked by internal Navy Department tensions, U.S. interventions in the Caribbean and Central America, and the European war crisis. Promoted to the rank of Admiral in 1916, his responsibilities greatly expanded when the United States entered the First World War in April 1917. Over the next year and a half, he oversaw a huge expansion of the Navy, the extension of its operations to European waters and the transportation of the United States Army to France. After the November 1918 Armistice, he was an active participant in the lengthy peace negotiations held in France.
Benson retired from the Naval service in September 1919. Over the next decade, he was active in the leadership of the U.S. Shipping Board. Admiral William S. Benson died in Washington, D.C.
USS Benson (DD-421) and USS Admiral W. S. Benson (AP-120) were named in his honor.
His mother, Catherine Brewer Benson, was the first woman to receive a degree from a chartered college, Georgia Female College (now Wesleyan College).
| Preceded by (None) |
United States Chief of Naval Operations 1915-1919 |
Succeeded by Robert E. Coontz |
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
