George Washington Williams (naval officer)
Encyclopedia
Navy career
Williams graduated from the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1890. He served the required two years of sea duty in Pensacola, before he was commissioned an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
on 1 July 1892.
Turn-of-the-century assignments
Williams served in a succession of sea and shore billets throughout the 1800s: the former in USS EssexUSS Essex (1876)
|-External links:*...
, Columbia
USS Columbia (C-12)
The fourth USS Columbia was an unarmored protected cruiser in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War and World War I. She was the lead ship of her class of two cruisers; her sister ship was...
, Yankee
USS Yankee (1892)
USS Yankee was originally El Norte, a steamer built in 1892 at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.. The ship was acquired by the United States Navy from the Southern Pacific Company on 6 April 1898. The ship was renamed and commissioned at New York on 14 April...
, Buffalo
USS Buffalo (1892)
The second USS Buffalo was an auxiliary cruiser of the United States Navy, and later a destroyer tender.Buffalo was built in 1892 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, in Newport News, Virginia, as El Cid. Six months later she was sold to Brazil and renamed Nichtheroy...
, Panther
USS Panther (1889)
The first USS Panther , the former SS Venezuela, was an auxiliary cruiser and naval troop transport in the United States Navy.Panther was built by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pa. in 1889. As the SS Venezuela, a merchant steamship, it was used for several years as a cargo freighter...
, Richmond
USS Richmond (1860)
The USS Richmond was a wooden steam sloop in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Service in the Caribbean :Richmond was launched on 26 January 1860 by the Norfolk Navy Yard; sponsored by a Miss Robb. Richmond, commanded by Captain D. N. Ingraham, departed Norfolk, Virginia 13...
, and Monongahela
USS Monongahela (1862)
USS Monongahela was a barkentine–rigged screw sloop-of-war that served in the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Her task was to participate in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America...
; the latter at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. In addition, he served on the staff of the Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet, in 1899 and commanded the torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
Bainbridge
USS Bainbridge (DD-1)
The second USS Bainbridge was the first destroyer in the United States Navy and the lead ship of her class. She was named for William Bainbridge.-Construction:...
in 1903 before commanding the 1st Torpedo Boat Flotilla. Reporting to Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin (BB-9)
USS Wisconsin , an Illinois-class battleship, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 30th state.The keel of Battleship No. 9 was laid down on 9 February 1897 at San Francisco, California, by the Union Iron Works...
on 5 April 1905, Williams subsequently joined the protected cruiser
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
Chicago
USS Chicago (1885)
The first USS Chicago was a protected cruiser of the United States Navy, the largest of the original three authorized by Congress for the "New Navy"....
for a tour of duty which included participating in relief efforts at San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, in the wake of the destructive San Francisco earthquake and fire which destroyed much of that city.
In the years immediately preceding 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...
, Williams served as ordnance officer in Montana
USS Montana (ACR-13)
The first USS Montana , also referred to as "Armored Cruiser No. 13", later renamed Missoula and designated CA-13, was a Tennessee-class armored cruiser of the United States Navy, a sister ship of ....
(Armored Cruiser
Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
No. 13); commander of the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet; Inspector of Ordnance in Charge at the Naval Torpedo Station; commanding officer of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
Cleveland
USS Cleveland (C-19)
USS Cleveland was a United States Navy Denver-class protected cruiser.She was launched 28 September 1901 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, sponsored by Miss R...
and later of battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Oregon
USS Oregon (BB-3)
USS Oregon was a pre-Dreadnought of the United States Navy. Her construction was authorized on 30 June 1890, and the contract to build her was awarded to Union Iron Works of San Francisco, California on 19 November 1890. Her keel was laid exactly one year later...
, before he assumed command of Pueblo, (Armored Cruiser No. 7) on 29 April 1917.
Awarded the Navy Cross
Williams — by that time a captain — was awarded the Navy CrossNavy 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...
for "distinguished service in the line of his profession" while commanding Pueblo during 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...
, as the armored cruiser engaged in the "important, exacting, and hazardous duty of transporting and escorting troops and supplies to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an ports through waters infested with enemy submarines and mines."
Commanding the USS New Mexico
Detached from Pueblo on 6 September 1918, Williams participated in fitting out the new dreadnaughtDreadnaught
Dreadnaught may mean:* Edward Boscawen , Admiral in the Royal Navy, was given the nickname "Old Dreadnaught"In film:* Dreadnaught , a Yuen Woo-Ping film from 1981...
Idaho
USS Idaho (BB-42)
USS Idaho , a , was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 43rd state. Her keel was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey...
(Battleship No. 42) and later served ashore in the Office of Naval Intelligence
Office of Naval Intelligence
The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland...
. He took the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
course in 1919 and 1920 before commanding the new dreadnaught New Mexico
USS New Mexico (BB-40)
USS New Mexico was a battleship in service with the United States Navy from 1918 to 1946. She was the lead ship of a class of three battleships. New Mexico was extensively modernized between 1931 and 1933 and saw service during World War II both in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. After her...
(BB-40) from 31 May 1921 to 18 May 1922. After detachment from New Mexico, Williams became the senior member of the Pacific Coast section of the Board of Inspection and Survey
Board of Inspection and Survey
The Board of Inspection and Survey is a U.S. Navy organization whose purpose is to inspect and assess material condition of Naval vessels.The Board is currently headquartered at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia.- INSURV teams :...
.
Commandant of the 6th Naval District
Reaching flag rank on 29 September 1922, Williams served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, and later as the Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet, when the former command was reorganized. Detached from this duty in the spring of 1923, Williams subsequently served at Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, as the commandant of the 6th Naval District before breaking his two-star flag in Concord
USS Concord (CL-10)
USS Concord was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the fourth Navy ship named for the town of Concord, Massachusetts, the site of the first battle of the American Revolution....
(CL-10) on 15 September 1924 as Commander, Destroyer Squadrons, Scouting Fleet.
Final days
Rear Admiral Williams died on 18 July 1925 at the Naval Hospital, Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
Namesakes
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
USS Williams (DE-290)
USS Williams (DE-290)
USS Williams was a proposed United States Navy Rudderow-class destroyer escort that was never built.Sources differ on Williamss planned builder; plans called for either Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard at Hingham, Massachusetts or the Charleston Navy Yard at Charleston, South Carolina to build her...
was named for Rear Admiral Williams. Her construction was cancelled in 1944.
In 1944, the destroyer escort USS Williams (DE-372)
USS Williams (DE-372)
USS Williams was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket....
was named in his honor. She was in commission from 1944 to 1946.