William H. Standley | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Formal portrait, 1945 | |
| 4thUnited States Ambassador tothe Soviet Union | |
| In office 14 April 1942 – 19 September 1943 | |
| President | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Laurence Steinhardt |
| Succeeded by | W. Averell Harriman |
| 6th Chief of Naval Operations | |
| In office 1 July 1933 – 1 January 1937 | |
| President | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | William V. Pratt |
| Succeeded by | William D. Leahy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1872-12-18)18 December 1872 Ukiah, California, U.S. |
| Died | 25 October 1963(1963-10-25) (aged 90) San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1895–1937 1941–1945 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Chief of Naval Operations Battle Force,United States Fleet Cruisers, Battle Force Destroyers, Battle Force USS California (BB-44) USS Virginia (BB-13) USS Yorktown (PG-1) |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War Philippine–American War World War I World War II |
| Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit |
William Harrison Standley (18 December 1872 – 25 October 1963) was anadmiral in theUnited States Navy, who served asChief of Naval Operations from 1933 to 1937. He also served as theU.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1941 until 1943.
Standley was born inUkiah, California, where his grandfather operated ahotel and his father, Jeremiah "Doc" Standley, wasMendocino CountySheriff.
He graduated from theUnited States Naval Academy in 1895. He then served the required two years' sea duty in thecruiserUSS Olympia before he received his commission as anensign in 1897.
During theSpanish–American War, Standley served in themonitorUSS Monterey and later in the gunboatUSS Alert. After the fighting with Spain had ended, he joined thegunboatUSS Yorktown during thePhilippine–American War. He received a commendation for bravery during a volunteer reconnaissance mission carried out atBaler, on 11 April 1899. In conjunction with a feint conducted by Lieutenant J. C. Gilmore, Standley, then an ensign, ventured into enemy territory to reconnoiter insurgent positions.
Ordered to the gunboatUSS Marietta 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 shipUSS Pensacola in June 1902, he later served as engineer in the shipUSS Adams and as aide to the Commandant of the Naval Station atTutuila,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 shipUSS Independence in January 1907, Standley served as executive officer of the cruiserUSS Albany from February 1909 to August 1910. From January 1910, he also discharged duties asAlbany's navigator as well. Standley then reported to the armored cruiserUSS Pennsylvania on 3 November 1910 and was navigator of that ship until becoming aide to the Commandant of theMare Island Navy Yard atVallejo, California. After three years in that post, Standley became executive officer of the battleshipUSS New Jersey and later took command of the gunboatYorktown on 15 May 1915.
Returning to the Naval Academy on 14 October 1916, as Assistant to the Superintendent in charge of Building and Grounds, Standley later served for 11 months asCommandant of Midshipmen. Under his direction, the new seamanship and navigation buildings were constructed and over $4,000,000 spent in enlarging Bancroft Hall to accommodate the increased number of midshipmen appointed during theWorld War I period. For his "highly meritorious" service in those posts at Annapolis, Standley received a special letter of commendation from theSecretary of the Navy.
Detached from the Naval Academy in July 1919, Standley soon thereafter assumed command of the pre-dreadnoughtbattleshipUSS Virginia and, a year later, received orders to attend theNaval 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 theChief of Naval Operations (CNO). Completing the latter tour on 1 February 1926, Standley then commandedUSS California from 15 February 1926 to 11 October 1927.
Standley 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.
Appointed vice admiral, on 20 January 1932 while in command of the Battle Force's cruisers, Standley was placed in command of the Battle Force, U.S. Fleet, with the rank of admiral, on 20 May 1933. Breaking his flag in his former command,California, the admiral remained at sea until 1 July 1933, when PresidentFranklin Roosevelt appointed him Chief of Naval Operations, replacingWilliam V. Pratt.
Unlike Pratt, who had been content beingprimus inter pares among the bureau chiefs of the Navy, Standley asserted his position over them and treated them as his subordinates. This sat ill with Standley's opponents who felt that they were subordinate to the Secretary of the Navy, includingWilliam D. Leahy, then chief of the Bureau of Navigation, andErnest King, then the newly appointed chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics. The argument grew severe enough for Standley to bring it directly to the President who decided to uphold the status quo and the CNO's limited authority. For his part, Standley never forgave Leahy for contesting him, even trying to prevent him from being appointed asCommander, Battleships, Battle Force. He continued to persist in doing so amid the support of SecretaryClaude A. Swanson and the commander of the United States Fleet,Joseph M. Reeves. This was eventually overcome and Leahy assumed his intended position with the rank ofvice admiral as planned.[1]
From 1935 to 1936 he served as President of the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia.
Before being retired, at his own request, on 1 January 1937 and handing over the reins of office to AdmiralWilliam D. Leahy, Admiral Standley frequently performed the duties of Acting Secretary of the Navy, due to the declining health of Secretary of the NavyClaude A. Swanson. Standley represented the United States as a delegate to theLondon Naval Conference between 7 December 1935 to 25 March 1936 and signed that accord on behalf of the United States. In addition, during his tenure as CNO, Standley initiated the Vinson–Trammell Naval Bill that provided for establishing, building, and maintaining the navy at treaty strength.
Recalled to active duty on 13 February 1941, Standley served as naval representative on the planning board of theOffice of Production Management (OPM) for seven months. After leaving the OPM in the autumn of 1941, Standley served as the American naval member on the Beaverbrook-Harriman Special War Supply Mission to theSoviet Union. Upon his return, Standley became a member of the Navy Board for Production Awards.
When President Roosevelt established theRoberts Commission to investigate theattack on Pearl Harbor, he selected Admiral Standley as one of the members of that sensitive body that studied the attack into early 1942. In February 1942, Standley was appointedAmerican Ambassador to the USSR, a post he held into the autumn of 1943. Standley resigned after making controversial remarks in which he angrily claimed that the Soviets were taking full credit for the war against Germany.
"The Russian authorities seem to want to cover up the fact that they are receiving outside help. Apparently, they want their people to believe that the Red Army is fighting this war alone."[2]
Subsequently recalled to active duty once more, in March 1944, Standley served in theOffice of Strategic Services throughout the remaining period of hostilities. Relieved of all active duty on 31 August 1945, Standley lived in retirement atSan Diego, California, until his death on 25 October 1963. After the war, he became involved with various anti-communist groups, including theMoral Re-Armament.[3]
The cruiserUSS William H. Standley (CG-32) was named in his honor.Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area, aCalifornia state recreation area, is also named for him, as isStandley middle school inSan Diego. There is also a City of San Diego Recreation Center named in his honor.
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chief of Naval Operations 1933–1937 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union 1942–1943 | Succeeded by |
 Russian Empire(1780–1917) | |
|---|---|
 Soviet Union(1933–1991) | |
| Russian Federation (1991–present) | |
