William Edward Reynolds (January 11, 1860 – January 25, 1944) served as the fifth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, from 1919 to 1924.[1]
He was born in Montgomery County, Maryland. He was appointed as a cadet in the United States Revenue Cutter Service. In 1881, he served under United States Navy Lt. Commander George W. DeLong during the expedition which claimed Wrangell Island for the United States. During the Spanish-American War, he served as a commander in the North Atlantic Fleet under Rear Admiral William T. Sampson. During World War I, he served as Chief of Staff for the San Francisco, California-based 12th Naval District. In 1923, he became the first Coast Guard officer to hold the rank of Rear Admiral.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ellsworth P. Bertholf |
Commandant of the Coast Guard 1919—1924 |
Succeeded by Frederick C. Billard |