William Fechteler
Encyclopedia
William Morrow Fechteler (6 March 1896 - 4 July 1967) was an admiral
in the United States Navy
who served as Chief of Naval Operations
during the Eisenhower
administration. He was the son of Rear Admiral Augustus F. Fechteler.
, Fechteler graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy
with the class of 1916 and served in the battleship
Pennsylvania (BB-38)
during World War I
. Over the following two decades, Fechteler had a variety of seagoing and shore billets, including several staff positions and command of the destroyer
Perry (DD-340)
.
In 1942-43, Captain Fechteler served in the Bureau of Navigation (later Bureau of Naval Personnel), then commanded the battleship Indiana (BB-58)
in the Pacific
. Promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral
in early 1944, he was Commander of the Seventh Fleet's Amphibious Group 8 from August 1944 to March 1945, participating in landings at Morotai
, Leyte, Lingayen
and elsewhere in the Philippines
. He spent the rest of 1945 as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel, in Washington, D.C.
, followed by service as Commander, Battleships & Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet
. As a Vice Admiral
, he was Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Personnel, from February 1947 until January 1950 and, as an Admiral (1 February 1950), was Commander in Chief, Atlantic and U.S. Atlantic Fleet in February 1950 - August 1951.
In August 1951, Admiral Fechteler was appointed Chief of Naval Operations, succeeding Admiral Forrest P. Sherman
, who had died in office in July. As CNO, Fechteler was responsible for sustaining Korean War
-era naval activities in the Far East
and in the Europe
an area. He made two trips across the Atlantic in 1951-52 and one to Asia
. He continued the Navy's building program for new aircraft carrier
s in the face of economy moves and to expand pay and benefits for the Navy's people.
When the President Dwight D. Eisenhower
took office in 1953, he chose to replace all the Armed Forces' chiefs. In August 1953, Admiral Fechteler exchanged positions with the new CNO, Admiral Robert B. Carney
, becoming Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe. He served at that command's Naples
headquarters until July 1956, when he retired. Over the next several years, Fechteler served on a special Defense Department
study committee on personnel compensation and worked for the General Electric
Company.
and USS Fechteler (DD-870)
were named for his father, Rear Admiral Augustus F. Fechteler.
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"...
in the United States 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...
who served as Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
during the Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
administration. He was the son of Rear Admiral Augustus F. Fechteler.
Biography
Born in San Rafael, CaliforniaSan Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, Fechteler graduated from the U.S. 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...
with the class of 1916 and served in the 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...
Pennsylvania (BB-38)
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)
USS Pennsylvania was a United States Navy super-dreadnought battleship. She was the third Navy ship named for the state of Pennsylvania....
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...
. Over the following two decades, Fechteler had a variety of seagoing and shore billets, including several staff positions and command of the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
Perry (DD-340)
USS Perry (DD-340)
The third USS Perry was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was one of eight ships named for Oliver Hazard Perry.-History:...
.
In 1942-43, Captain Fechteler served in the Bureau of Navigation (later Bureau of Naval Personnel), then commanded the battleship Indiana (BB-58)
USS Indiana (BB-58)
USS Indiana , a South Dakota-class battleship, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 19th state. Her keel was laid down on 20 November 1939 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company of Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 21 November 1941 sponsored by...
in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in early 1944, he was Commander of the Seventh Fleet's Amphibious Group 8 from August 1944 to March 1945, participating in landings at Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
, Leyte, Lingayen
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
The Liberation of Lingayen Gulf was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 9 January 1945, an Allied force commanded by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf began approaching the shores of Lingayen. U.S...
and elsewhere in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He spent the rest of 1945 as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, followed by service as Commander, Battleships & Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
. As a Vice Admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
, he was Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Personnel, from February 1947 until January 1950 and, as an Admiral (1 February 1950), was Commander in Chief, Atlantic and U.S. Atlantic Fleet in February 1950 - August 1951.
In August 1951, Admiral Fechteler was appointed Chief of Naval Operations, succeeding Admiral Forrest P. Sherman
Forrest Sherman
Forrest Percival Sherman was an admiral in the United States Navy and the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations until Admiral Elmo Zumwalt became Chief of Naval Operations in 1970....
, who had died in office in July. As CNO, Fechteler was responsible for sustaining Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
-era naval activities in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
and in the 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 area. He made two trips across the Atlantic in 1951-52 and one to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. He continued the Navy's building program for new aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s in the face of economy moves and to expand pay and benefits for the Navy's people.
When the President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
took office in 1953, he chose to replace all the Armed Forces' chiefs. In August 1953, Admiral Fechteler exchanged positions with the new CNO, Admiral Robert B. Carney
Robert Carney
Robert Bostwick Carney was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander-in-chief of the NATO forces in Southern Europe and then as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.-Early years:Born in Vallejo, California, Carney graduated from the Naval Academy in...
, becoming Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe. He served at that command's Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
headquarters until July 1956, when he retired. Over the next several years, Fechteler served on a special Defense Department
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
study committee on personnel compensation and worked for the General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Company.
Namesakes
USS Fechteler (DE-157)USS Fechteler (DE-157)
USS Fechteler , a of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Augustus Fechteler, a Rear Admiral serving in the United States Navy during World War I....
and USS Fechteler (DD-870)
USS Fechteler (DD-870)
USS Fechteler , named for Rear Admiral Augustus Francis Fechteler USN and/or his son Lieutenant Frank Casper Fechteler , was a Gearing-class destroyer laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at Staten Island in New York on 12 April 1945, launched on 19 September 1945 by Miss Joan S...
were named for his father, Rear Admiral Augustus F. Fechteler.