210:
40:
574:
560:
359:
In World War I, the Navy explored aviation, both land- and carrier-based, but the navy nearly abolished aviation in 1919, when Benson could not "conceive of any use the fleet will ever have for aviation," and he secretly tried to abolish the Navy's
Aviation Division. Assistant Secretary of the Navy
364:, though, reversed the decision because he believed naval aviation might someday be "the principal factor" at sea with missions to bomb enemy warships, scout enemy fleets, map mine fields, and escort convoys. Grudgingly allowing it a minor mission, the navy slowly built up its aviation arm.
338:
in 1916, his responsibilities greatly expanded when the United States entered World War I in April 1917. Over the next year and a half, he oversaw a huge expansion of the navy, the extension of its operations to
European waters, and the transportation of the
578:
322:
Benson was heavily involved in defining the functions of the new CNO position and strengthening the navy during a period marked by internal Navy
Department tensions, US interventions in the
666:
676:
701:
497:
681:
706:
182:
541:
348:
686:
456:
696:
671:
582:
545:
384:
Benson retired from the naval service in
September 1919. Over the next decade, he was active in the leadership of the
711:
691:
178:
20:
344:
388:. He served as the first president of the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, from 1925 to 1932.
385:
312:
209:
396:
286:
282:
250:
97:
597:
627:
230:
140:
468:
The one-block-long street named Benson Street in
Charleston, South Carolina was named in his honor.
450:
39:
403:
376:, and it remains today as the centerpiece of the combat striking arms of the United States Navy.
368:
later proved to be the decisive advantage for the United States Navy that ensured victory during
335:
222:
192:
130:
603:
440:
300:
144:
486:
The wings of democracy: the influence of air power on the
Roosevelt Administration, 1933–1941
361:
661:
656:
246:
68:
8:
411:
254:
197:
340:
268:
226:
155:
112:
596:
638:
407:
293:
148:
85:
419:
351:, he was an active participant in the lengthy peace negotiations held in France.
327:
392:
365:
650:
564:
316:
406:, was the first woman to receive a degree from Georgia Female College (now
369:
253:
in 1877. His early years of sea duty included a cruise around the world in
331:
261:
234:
168:
430:
415:
290:
462:
446:
436:
323:
315:
and became the Navy's first CNO, functionally replacing Rear
Admiral
455:
was also named in his honor and was the lead ship of her class, the
373:
563:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
265:
273:, and served as a flag aide, in addition to other assignments.
264:
duties, was an instructor at the Naval
Academy, commanded the
289:. In 1911, Benson became the first commanding officer of the
542:"William Shepherd Benson: 25 September 1855 – 20 May 1932"
260:
during the 1880s. He was also active in coast survey and
648:
488:(1991) p. 11; Underwood calls him "reactionary."
311:In May 1915, Benson was promoted to the rank of
221:(September 25, 1855 – May 20, 1932) was an
503:
667:Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
526:. Charleston, SC. March 30, 1920. p. 8.
306:
414:, also a career navy officer, received the
38:
19:For other people with the same name, see
240:
677:United States Navy World War I admirals
702:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
649:
435:was named for the admiral and was the
319:, the last aide for naval operations.
276:
540:
509:
347:to France. After the November 1918
233:(CNO), holding the post throughout
13:
682:United States Naval Academy alumni
583:Naval History and Heritage Command
581:from websites or documents of the
546:Naval History and Heritage Command
391:Admiral William S. Benson died in
14:
723:
707:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
589:
498:Burial Detail: Benson, William S.
285:and became chief of staff of the
598:"Benson, William Shepherd"
577: This article incorporates
572:
558:
281:In 1909, Benson was promoted to
208:
183:Army Distinguished Service Medal
179:Navy Distinguished Service Medal
522:"Sale of Lots Speedy Affair".
515:
491:
478:
1:
471:
379:
345:American Expeditionary Forces
45:
425:
386:United States Shipping Board
249:, Benson graduated from the
7:
687:United States Navy admirals
397:Arlington National Cemetery
354:
299:. He was commandant of the
287:United States Pacific Fleet
251:United States Naval Academy
98:Arlington National Cemetery
44:Admiral William S. Benson,
10:
728:
697:Chiefs of Naval Operations
672:People from Macon, Georgia
534:
334:. Promoted to the rank of
18:
16:United States Navy admiral
635:
628:Chief of Naval Operations
624:
619:
614:
399:, Section 3, Lot 1873-B.
307:Chief of Naval Operations
231:chief of naval operations
204:
188:
174:
164:
141:Chief of Naval Operations
136:
126:
118:
106:
92:
75:
55:
37:
30:
712:Laetare Medal recipients
692:Naval War College alumni
372:and the duration of the
404:Catherine Brewer Benson
219:William Shepherd Benson
193:Catherine Brewer Benson
101:(Section 3, Lot 1873-B)
32:William Shepherd Benson
604:Encyclopedia Americana
579:public domain material
484:Jeffery S. Underwood,
410:). His son, Commodore
301:Philadelphia Navy Yard
145:Philadelphia Navy Yard
362:Franklin D. Roosevelt
241:Early life and career
119:Years of service
548:. September 17, 2015
458:Admiral W. S. Benson
452:Admiral W. S. Benson
247:Bibb County, Georgia
69:Bibb County, Georgia
412:Howard H. J. Benson
395:, and is buried in
198:Howard H. J. Benson
439:of her class, the
341:United States Army
277:Senior assignments
227:United States Navy
113:United States Navy
66:September 25, 1855
645:
644:
636:Succeeded by
615:Military offices
402:Benson's mother,
216:
215:
719:
639:Robert E. Coontz
630:
612:
611:
608:
600:
576:
575:
562:
561:
557:
555:
553:
528:
527:
519:
513:
507:
501:
495:
489:
482:
408:Wesleyan College
317:Bradley A. Fiske
212:
108:
86:Washington, D.C.
82:
65:
63:
50:
47:
42:
28:
27:
727:
726:
722:
721:
720:
718:
717:
716:
647:
646:
641:
632:
626:
595:
592:
573:
559:
551:
549:
537:
532:
531:
521:
520:
516:
508:
504:
496:
492:
483:
479:
474:
428:
420:Legion of Merit
382:
357:
328:Central America
309:
279:
243:
196:
181:
154:
147:
143:
102:
100:
84:
80:
67:
61:
59:
51:
48:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
725:
715:
714:
709:
704:
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
659:
643:
642:
637:
634:
623:
617:
616:
610:
609:
591:
590:External links
588:
587:
586:
569:
568:
536:
533:
530:
529:
514:
502:
500:– ANC Explorer
490:
476:
475:
473:
470:
427:
424:
393:Washington, DC
381:
378:
366:Naval aviation
356:
353:
308:
305:
278:
275:
242:
239:
229:and the first
214:
213:
206:
202:
201:
190:
186:
185:
176:
172:
171:
166:
162:
161:
138:
134:
133:
128:
124:
123:
120:
116:
115:
110:
104:
103:
96:
94:
90:
89:
83:(aged 76)
77:
73:
72:
57:
53:
52:
43:
35:
34:
31:
21:William Benson
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
724:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
654:
652:
640:
631:
629:
622:
618:
613:
606:
605:
599:
594:
593:
584:
580:
571:
570:
566:
565:public domain
547:
543:
539:
538:
525:
518:
511:
506:
499:
494:
487:
481:
477:
469:
466:
464:
461:
459:
454:
453:
448:
445:
443:
438:
434:
433:
423:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
400:
398:
394:
389:
387:
377:
375:
371:
367:
363:
352:
350:
346:
342:
337:
333:
329:
325:
320:
318:
314:
304:
302:
298:
297:
292:
288:
284:
274:
272:
271:
267:
263:
259:
258:
252:
248:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
211:
207:
203:
199:
194:
191:
187:
184:
180:
177:
173:
170:
167:
163:
160:
159:
153:
152:
146:
142:
139:
135:
132:
129:
125:
121:
117:
114:
111:
105:
99:
95:
91:
87:
78:
74:
70:
58:
54:
41:
36:
29:
26:
22:
625:
620:
602:
550:. Retrieved
524:Evening Post
523:
517:
505:
493:
485:
480:
467:
457:
451:
441:
431:
429:
401:
390:
383:
370:World War II
358:
321:
313:rear admiral
310:
303:in 1913–15.
295:
280:
269:
262:hydrographic
256:
244:
218:
217:
165:Battles/wars
157:
150:
81:(1932-05-20)
79:May 20, 1932
25:
662:1932 deaths
657:1855 births
332:World War I
235:World War I
169:World War I
49: 1916
651:Categories
633:1915–1919
621:New office
472:References
416:Navy Cross
380:Retirement
291:battleship
62:1855-09-25
552:April 19,
510:NHHC 2015
463:transport
447:destroyer
437:lead ship
426:Namesakes
349:armistice
324:Caribbean
294:USS
255:USS
205:Signature
189:Relations
156:USS
149:USS
122:1877–1919
374:Cold War
355:Aviation
245:Born in
195:(mother)
137:Commands
107:Service/
607:. 1920.
535:Sources
336:admiral
283:captain
266:cruiser
257:Dolphin
225:in the
223:admiral
131:Admiral
460:-class
444:-class
442:Benson
432:Benson
330:, and
270:Albany
175:Awards
158:Albany
109:branch
93:Buried
200:(son)
554:2017
418:and
326:and
296:Utah
151:Utah
127:Rank
88:, US
76:Died
71:, US
56:Born
343:'s
653::
601:.
544:.
465:.
449:;
422:.
237:.
46:c.
585:.
567:.
556:.
512:.
64:)
60:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)
.png){kind=small}