William Veazie Pratt
Encyclopedia
William Veazie Pratt was an admiral
in the United States Navy
. He served as the President of the Naval War College
and as the Chief of Naval Operations
.
. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy
in 1889, he served in several cruisers and gunboats, visiting Europe
, South America
and Asia
. During 1895–97, Ensign Pratt had the first of three instructor tours at the Naval Academy. He was assigned to the gunboat Mayflower
during the Spanish-American War
and to the cruiser
Newark
afterwards. While in the latter, he returned to Asia
tic waters, where he saw action in the Philippine-American War
. A second Naval Academy session followed in 1900–1902, after which he served in the North Atlantic Fleet flagship
Kearsarge
.
Lieutenant Commander Pratt's final Naval Academy tour took place in 1905–1908. He then was Executive Officer of the cruiser
s Saint Louis
and California
. Promoted to the rank of Commander in 1910, Pratt was an instructor at the Naval War College
in 1911–1913 and spent the next two years in the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla, much of that as Commanding Officer of its flagship
, the scout cruiser Birmingham
. Captain Pratt was assigned to the Army
in Panama
and at the Army War College in 1915–1917. During the First World War
he served in Washington, D.C.
as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations in 1918.
Pratt was at sea in 1919–1921 as Commanding Officer of the battleship
New York
and as Commander Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet. Following promotion to Rear Admiral
in mid-1921, he was a member of the General Board in Washington, D.C., and served as a technical advisor during the negotiations that led to the Washington Naval Limitations Treaty
of February 1922. He commanded a battleship division in 1923–1925 and was President of the court of inquiry that examined the 8 September 1923 Honda Point Disaster
. Assignments followed to the General Board and as President of the Naval War College. In 1927, he returned to sea as Commander Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet
. A year later, he became Commander Battle Fleet in the rank of Admiral and in 1929–1930 was Commander in Chief United States Fleet
.
Admiral Pratt's work with the U.S. Fleet was interrupted in early 1930 by a trip to England
to participate in the London conference that further limited the size
of the World's major navies. He became Chief of Naval Operations in September 1930 and spent nearly three years in that post, during a time when Depression
-era demands for economy made it very difficult to maintain the Navy's size and readiness. During his tenure, he also helped Coast Guard Commandant Harry G. Hamlet
in discouraging President Franklin D. Roosevelt
from merging the Navy and Coast Guard.
Retired at the beginning of July 1933, Pratt lived thereafter in Maine and New York City
. During the World War II
years, he wrote a regular column for a nationally-circulated magazine and spent several months on active Navy Department duty in 1941 studying measures to counter the German
submarine
threat. Admiral William V. Pratt died in 1957.
In 1960, the destroyer
USS William V. Pratt (DLG-13, later DDG-44)
was named in honor of Admiral Pratt.
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...
. He served as the President of the Naval War College
President of the Naval War College
The President of the Naval War College is a flag officer in the United States Navy. The President's House is his official residence.Since the Korean War, all presidents of the Naval War College have been vice admirals or rear admirals.-Presidents:...
and as the 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...
.
Biography
Pratt was born in Belfast, MaineBelfast, Maine
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County...
. After graduating 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...
in 1889, he served in several cruisers and gunboats, visiting 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...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and 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...
. During 1895–97, Ensign Pratt had the first of three instructor tours at the Naval Academy. He was assigned to the gunboat Mayflower
USS Mayflower (PY-1)
USS Mayflower was the second ship in the United States Navy to have that name. Mayflower — a luxurious steam yacht built in 1896 by J. and G. Thompson, Clydebank, Scotland — was purchased by the Navy from the estate of Ogden Goelet and commissioned at New York Navy Yard on 24 March 1898,...
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...
and to 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...
Newark
USS Newark (C-1)
The first USS Newark was a United States Navy protected cruiser, the first modern cruiser in the US fleet.She was laid down by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 12 June 1888, launched on 19 March 1890, sponsored by Miss Annie Boutelle, the daughter of Congressman Charles A...
afterwards. While in the latter, he returned 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...
tic waters, where he saw action in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. A second Naval Academy session followed in 1900–1902, after which he served in the North Atlantic Fleet flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
Kearsarge
USS Kearsarge (BB-5)
USS Kearsarge , the lead ship of her class of battleships, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named, by act of Congress, in honor of the famous American Civil War sloop-of-war . Her keel was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia on 30 June...
.
Lieutenant Commander Pratt's final Naval Academy tour took place in 1905–1908. He then was Executive 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...
s Saint Louis
USS St. Louis (C-20)
The fourth USS St. Louis, Cruiser No. 20 ', was the lead ship of her class of protected cruisers in the United States Navy. St. Louis was launched on 6 May 1905 by Neafie & Levy Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; sponsored by Miss Gladys Bryant Smith; and commissioned on 18 August 1906, Captain...
and California
USS California (ACR-6)
The second USS California , also referred to as "Armored Cruiser 6", and later renamed San Diego, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser....
. Promoted to the rank of Commander in 1910, Pratt was an instructor at 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...
in 1911–1913 and spent the next two years in the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla, much of that as Commanding Officer of its flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, the scout cruiser Birmingham
USS Birmingham (CL-2)
USS Birmingham , named for the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was a laid down by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company at Quincy, Massachusetts on 14 August 1905; launched on 29 May 1907; sponsored by Mrs L...
. Captain Pratt was assigned to the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and at the Army War College in 1915–1917. During the First World War
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...
he served 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....
as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations in 1918.
Pratt was at sea in 1919–1921 as Commanding Officer of 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...
New York
USS New York (BB-34)
USS New York was a United States Navy battleship, the lead ship of her class of two . She was the fifth ship to carry her name....
and as Commander Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet. Following promotion to Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in mid-1921, he was a member of the General Board in Washington, D.C., and served as a technical advisor during the negotiations that led to the Washington Naval Limitations Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
of February 1922. He commanded a battleship division in 1923–1925 and was President of the court of inquiry that examined the 8 September 1923 Honda Point Disaster
Honda Point Disaster
The Honda Point Disaster was the largest peacetime loss of U.S. Navy ships. On the evening of September 8, 1923, seven destroyers, while traveling at 20 knots , ran aground at Honda Point, a few miles from the northern side of the Santa Barbara Channel off Point Arguello on the coast in Santa...
. Assignments followed to the General Board and as President of the Naval War College. In 1927, he returned to sea as Commander Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet
Battle Fleet
The United States Battle Fleet or Battle Force was part of the organization of the United States Navy from 1922 to 1941.The General Order of 6 December 1922 organized the United States Fleet, with the Battle Fleet as the Pacific presence. This fleet comprised the main body of ships in the Navy,...
. A year later, he became Commander Battle Fleet in the rank of Admiral and in 1929–1930 was Commander in Chief United States Fleet
United States Fleet
The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. The abbreviation CINCUS, pronounced "sink us", was used for Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet. This title was disposed of and officially replaced by COMINCH in December 1941 . This...
.
Admiral Pratt's work with the U.S. Fleet was interrupted in early 1930 by a trip to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to participate in the London conference that further limited the size
London Naval Treaty
The London Naval Treaty was an agreement between the United Kingdom, the Empire of Japan, France, Italy and the United States, signed on April 22, 1930, which regulated submarine warfare and limited naval shipbuilding. Ratifications were exchanged in London on October 27, 1930, and the treaty went...
of the World's major navies. He became Chief of Naval Operations in September 1930 and spent nearly three years in that post, during a time when Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
-era demands for economy made it very difficult to maintain the Navy's size and readiness. During his tenure, he also helped Coast Guard Commandant Harry G. Hamlet
Harry G. Hamlet
Harry Gabriel Hamlet served as the seventh Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, from 1932 to 1936.-Early life and career:...
in discouraging President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
from merging the Navy and Coast Guard.
Retired at the beginning of July 1933, Pratt lived thereafter in Maine and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. During the World War II
World 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...
years, he wrote a regular column for a nationally-circulated magazine and spent several months on active Navy Department duty in 1941 studying measures to counter the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
threat. Admiral William V. Pratt died in 1957.
In 1960, 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...
USS William V. Pratt (DLG-13, later DDG-44)
USS William V. Pratt (DDG-44)
USS William V. Pratt was a Farragut-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy. She was commissioned in 1961 as DLG-13 and reclassified as a guided missile destroyer, designation DDG-44, in 1975. She was named to honor Admiral William Veazie Pratt, a President of the Naval War...
was named in honor of Admiral Pratt.