Arthur Lee Willard was a U.S. Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 Admiral

Admiral

Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...

 who served his nation in two wars and was awarded the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

. He was also awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government and the Order of Leopold by the King of Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

.

Early life & education

Willard was born in Kirksville, Missouri

Kirksville, Missouri

Kirksville is the county seat of Adair County, Missouri, United States. It is located in Benton Township. The population was 17,505 at the 2010 census. Kirksville also anchors a micropolitan area that comprises Adair and Schuyler counties. The city is perhaps best known as the location of Truman...

, the son of Anna and Lewis A. Willard, a small-town merchant. After receiving his primary and secondary education in Kirksville schools, he attended the First District Normal School (now known as Truman State University

Truman State University

Truman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in Missouri, United States and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. About 6,000 students attend Truman, pursuing degrees in 43 undergraduate and 9 Graduate programs. It is located in Kirksville in...

) in Kirksville beginning in 1883. He left the Normal School just months prior to graduation, as he had been accepted to the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

, where he graduated in 1891.

Career

Arthur Willard's long and distinguished naval career very nearly ended before it had chance to begin. In 1888 the U.S. Naval Academy was rocked by a hazing

Hazing

Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....

 scandal that involved Third Class Cadet Willard. He along with fifteen other cadets were expelled from the academy, however the intercession of Missouri Congressman Willam M. Hatch on his behalf caused President Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland

Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...

 to order Willard's reinstatement.

Making the most of his second chance, Ensign Willard gained positive notoriety during the Spanish-American War

Spanish-American War

The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...

. While serving on the gunboat , on May 11, 1898 he led a shore party and in the face of enemy fire planted the U.S. flag on a Spanish blockhouse overlooking Diana Bay near Cardenas, Cuba. For this exploit he received a $100 dollar prize offered by the New York Herald

New York Herald

The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...

 to the first serviceman to raise the American flag on Cuban soil. In addition the Missouri legislature presented Willard with a jeweled officers sword. Following his Cuban adventure, Willard's career advanced rapidly by the days standards. By 1905 he held the rank of full Lieutenant and was stationed aboard the during which time he was a participant in the around-the-world journey of the Great White Fleet

Great White Fleet

The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with...

. In 1913 Arthur Willard received his first ship command, the . It proved to be an exciting one as the Hancock participated in several instances of gunboat diplomacy

Gunboat diplomacy

In international politics, gunboat diplomacy refers to the pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power — implying or constituting a direct threat of warfare, should terms not be agreeable to the superior force....

 under his captaincy, including landing US Marines at Vera Cruz, Mexico

Veracruz, Veracruz

Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...

 in 1914. America's entry into World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 in April, 1917 saw a great need for more naval armament. However many delays were occurring in the ordnance factories at Washington Navy Yard

Washington Navy Yard

The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...

. Now holding the rank of Captain, Willard was brought in as new commandant and promptly put things in order. It was for this invaluable service that Willard was awarded the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

 by President Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson

Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...

. Below is the citation for his award:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Arthur Lee Willard, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Superintendent of the Naval Gun Factory, which, under his command, was rapidly expanded to meet the extraordinary demands created by the war, and so efficiently administered as to maintain a steady flow of absolutely essential ordnance material to the service.

In addition to his Navy Cross, Captain Willard was also honored by France with the Legion of Honor, and the Order of Leopold by the King of Belgium. Following his service at Washington Navy Yard, Captain Willard returned to sea duty as commander of the battleship in 1919. Renewed problems with naval armaments saw Willard assigned as Special Aide for Navy Yards to the Secretary of the Navy in 1921. In this capacity he was in charge of all US Navy industrial plants and shipbuilding on the eastern US coast. In 1930, now holding the rank of Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral

Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...

, Willard was assigned as commander of a series of US fleet exercises that validated the increasing importance of aircraft carriers and attacks launched from beyond battleship gun range. These fleet exercises also inspired the creation of a two-ocean Navy in the 1930s by the Roosevelt administration. In 1932 Vice Admiral Willard was chosen to command the Fifth Naval District, a post which he held until retirement shortly before his death on April 7, 1935. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...

. Willard Park, located at Washington Navy Yard, is named in his honor.