William Daniel Leahy
May 6, 1875 – July 20, 1959 (aged 84)
Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, circa 1945
Place of birth	Hampton, Iowa
Place of death	Bethesda, Maryland
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1897–1939, 1942–1949
Rank	Fleet Admiral
Commands	Chief of Staff to the CINC Chief of Naval Operations
Battles/wars	Spanish-American War, Boxer Rebellion, World War I, Greco-Turkish War, World War II
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Cross, Sampson Medal, more...

Fleet Admiral William Daniel Leahy (May 6, 1875 – July 20, 1959) was an American naval officer and the first U.S. military officer ever to hold the five-star rank in the U.S. armed forces. is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Picture of William Leahy from Navy historic site - http://www. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iowa. ... Hampton is a city located in Franklin County, Iowa. ... Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Maryland. ... Bethesda is an urbanized, but unincorporated, area in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a church located there, the Bethesda Presbyterian Church, built in 1820 and rebuilt in 1850, which in turn took its name from Jerusalems Pool of Bethesda. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37°53N to 39°43N  - Longitude 75°4W to 79°33... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... USN redirects here. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Fleet Admiral Collar Device Fleet Admiral Shoulder Board Fleet Admiral Sleeve Insignia A Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy is an admiral considered to be the equivalent of the United States Armys General of the Army. ... The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer of the United States military, and the principal military advisor to the President of the United States. ... The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the senior military officer in the United States Navy. ... Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Arsenio Linares General Ramón Blanco Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and Filipino... Combatants Eight-Nation Alliance (ordered by contribution): Empire of Japan Russian Empire British Empire France United States German Empire Kingdom of Italy Austro-Hungarian Empire Righteous Harmony Society Qing Dynasty Commanders Edward Seymour Alfred Graf von Waldersee Ci Xi Strength 20,000 initially 49,000 total 50,000-100,000... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Greece Turkish Revolutionaries Commanders Gen Leonidas Paraskevopoulos, Gen Anastasios Papoulas, Gen Georgios Hatzianestis Ali Fethi Okyar, Ä°smet Ä°nönü, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Fevzi Çakmak Strength 200,000 men 120,000 men (plus village protectors) Casualties 23,500 dead; 20,820 captured 20,540 dead; 10,000 wounded The... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Distinguished Service Medal is a high level military and civilian decoration of the United States of America which is issued for meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces. ... The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. ... The Sampson Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was first authorized in 1901. ... Fleet Admiral Collar Device Fleet Admiral Shoulder Board Fleet Admiral Sleeve Insignia A Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy is an admiral considered to be the equivalent of the United States Armys General of the Army. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ...

Early life

Leahy was born in Hampton, Iowa before moving to Ashland, Wisconsin. His education included the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, from which he graduated in 1897. Midshipman Leahy was assigned to USS Oregon, then in the Pacific. He was in that battleship when she made her famous dash around Cape Horn in the spring of 1898 to participate in the Battle of Santiago on July 3 during the Spanish-American War. Hampton is a city located in Franklin County, Iowa. ... Location of Ashland, Wisconsin Coordinates: Country United States State Wisconsin Counties Ashland / Bayfield Government  - Mayor Ed Monroe Area  - City 13. ... The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ... City nickname: Americas Sailing Capital Location in the state of Maryland Founded 1649 Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 19. ... A midshipman is a subordinate officer, or alternatively a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the navies of several English-speaking countries. ... USS Oregon (BB-3) was a pre-Dreadnought Indiana-class battleship of the United States Navy. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ... Cape Horn from the South. ... Combatants United States Spain Commanders William T. Sampson, Winfield Scott Schley Pascual Cervera Strength 4 battleships 1 armoured cruiser 2 torpedo boats 4 armoured cruisers 2 torpedo boats Casualties 2 dead ~100 wounded 474 dead or wounded 6 ships lost The Battle of Santiago de Cuba, fought between Spain and... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Arsenio Linares General Ramón Blanco Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and Filipino...

Having completed the two years of sea duty -- then required by law -- he was commissioned Ensign on July 1, 1899. At that time, he was on the Asiatic Station, where, during the Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion in China, he served on the USS Castine, the USS Glacier and commanded the gunboat USS Mariveles. He returned to the United States in 1902, and for the next five years did duty onboard the USS Tacoma and the USS Boston which were stationed in Panama during the early period of construction of the canal. Ensign is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Asiatic Squadron, also known as the Asiatic Station, was the fleet of United States Navy warships and supporting elements stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century. ... The Philippine-American War was a war between the armed forces of the United States and the Philippines from 1899 through 1913. ... Combatants Eight-Nation Alliance (ordered by contribution): Empire of Japan Russian Empire British Empire France United States German Empire Kingdom of Italy Austro-Hungarian Empire Righteous Harmony Society Qing Dynasty Commanders Edward Seymour Alfred Graf von Waldersee Ci Xi Strength 20,000 initially 49,000 total 50,000-100,000... Two ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Castine for a town in Maine. ... Four ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Glacier. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The second USS Tacoma (CL-20) (Cruiser No. ... The fifth USS Boston, a protected cruiser, was launched 4 December 1884 by John Roach and Sons, Chester, Pennsylvania, and commissioned 2 May 1887, Captain F. M. Ramsey in command. ... Two Panamax running the Miraflores Locks The Panama Canal (Spanish: ) is a major ship canal that traverses the Isthmus of Panama in Central America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. ...

His first shore cruise was at the Naval Academy. Beginning in 1907, he served as instructor in the Department of Physics and Chemistry for two years. He went to sea in 1909 and served as navigator of the armored cruiser California in the Pacific Fleet. During the American Occupation of Nicaragua in 1912, he was Chief of Staff to the Commander Naval Forces there. Teamwork: Fourth Class Midshipmen lock arms and use ropes made from uniform items as they brace themselves climbing the Herndon Monument The United States Naval Academy, or USNA, is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. ... Schematic section of a typical armoured cruiser with an armoured upper and middle deck and side belt (red), lateral protective coal bunkers (grey) and a double-bottom of watertight compartments. ... The second USS California (ACR-6), also referred to as Armored Cruiser 6, and later renamed San Diego, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser. ... The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level unit of the U.S. armed forces, under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. ...

Late in 1912, he came ashore in Washington as Assistant Director of Gunnery Exercises and Engineering Competitions. In 1913, he was assigned to the Bureau of Navigation as a detail officer where he served until 1915. At that time, he took command of the dispatch gunboat USS Dolphin, and established a very close friendship with, the then Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt who cruised with him on the ship. He was in that assignment in early 1917 in West Indian waters and had additional duty as Senior Aide on the Staff of Commander Squadron Three of the Patrol Force Atlantic Fleet. Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - D.C. Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2... The Bureau of Navigation was an agency established in 1884 to enforce US laws laws relating to the construction, equipment, operation, inspection, safety, and documentation of merchant vessels. ... USS Dolphin (PG-24), an unarmored cruiser, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the dolphin, a gregarious aquatic mammal having a pointed muzzle, and found in most oceans; also, a swift, spiny-finned fish having a long dorsal fin and iridescent body, and... Assistant Secretary of the Navy (abbrev. ... FDR redirects here. ... The Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) of the United States Navy is the part of the Navy responsible for operations in around the Atlantic Ocean. ...

He served for almost a year as the Executive Officer of USS Nevada and in April 1918 went to command the USS Princess Matotika, formerly Princess Alice, transporting troops to France. It was during this tour that he was awarded the Navy Cross. The second United States Navy Nevada (BB-36) was a battleship, lead ship of her class of two (Oklahoma (BB-37) being the other). ... The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. ...

After a short cruise in that command, he came ashore in 1918 and served for three years as director of Gunnery Exercises and Engineering Competition in the Navy Department, and as senior member of the Fire Control Board. Seal The United States Department of the Navy was established by an Act of Congress on April 30, 1798, to provide administrative and technical support, and civilian leadership to the United States Navy. ...

In 1921, he went to sea in command of USS St. Louis, flagship of the Naval Detachment in Turkish waters during the war between Turkey and Greece. At the end of that war, he was given command of Mine Squadron One, and in 1922 further additional duty as commander, Control Force. The fourth USS , Cruiser No. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ...

He returned to the U.S., and from 1923 to 1926, he served as Director of Officer Personnel in the Bureau of Navigation, and then had one year in command of the battleship USS New Mexico. The Bureau of Navigation was an agency established in 1884 to enforce US laws laws relating to the construction, equipment, operation, inspection, safety, and documentation of merchant vessels. ... USS New Mexico (BB-40) was a United States Navy battleship, the lead ship of her class. ...

In 1927, he reached flag rank and became Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. After almost four years, he went to sea in 1931 as Commander Destroyers Scouting Force. A flank rank is one of naval officer ranks that permit its holder to fly a flag to represent where he exercises his command. ... The United States Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navys organization responsibile for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance from 1818-1967 (albeit under various names). ...

His son, William H. Leahy graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1927 and was engaged in pre-WW II naval intelligence operations. Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1933, he came ashore in Washington as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation for two years, when he went to sea as a vice admiral, and Commander Battleships Battle Force. In 1936, he hoisted his four-star flag in USS California and Commander in Chief Battle Force. Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - D.C. Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2... The Bureau of Navigation was an agency established in 1884 to enforce US laws laws relating to the construction, equipment, operation, inspection, safety, and documentation of merchant vessels. ... Vice Admiral is a naval rank of three star level, equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. ... USS California (BB-44), a Tennessee-class battleship, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 31st state. ...

He was appointed Chief of Naval Operations, took the oath of office in January 1937 to serve until August 1939 when he was placed on the retired list. On that occasion, President Roosevelt said "Bill, if we have a war, you're going to be right back here helping me run it." The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the senior military officer in the United States Navy. ...

Before retiring as CNO, Leahy joined his wife Louise Harrington Leahy when she sponsored the USS Cimarron (AO-22) commissioning on March 20, 1939. USS Cimarron (AO-22) was a Cimarron-class oiler serving with the United States Navy and only the second ship to be named for the Cimarron River in the southwestern United States. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Retirement and recall

From September 1939 until November 1940, Leahy served as Governor of Puerto Rico. He was supposed to oversee the development of military bases and stations across the island while serving as governor. He took an open stance of not intervening directly in local politics, attempted to understand and respect local customs, and initiated various major public works projects in the island. While given the unflattering sobriquet "Almirante Lija" ("Admiral Sandpaper") by locals, based on his family name, he was regarded as one of the most tolerant American governors of the several that served Puerto Rico in the first half of the 20th century. Seal of the Governor of Puerto Rico The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ...

After the surrender of France, Leahy was appointed American Ambassador to Vichy France, the regime ruling over the south of France and the French overseas empire. Leahy's goal was to persuade the Vichy government to rejoin the war against Hitler, but he was entirely unsuccessful. He was recalled in May 1942. An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ... Motto Travail, famille, patrie French: Unoccupied zone of Vichy France (until November 1942) Capital Vichy Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholic Government Dictatorship Chief of state  - 1940 — 1944 Henri Philippe Pétain President of the Council  - 1940 — 1942 Philippe Pétain  - 1942 — 1944 Pierre Laval Legislature National Assembly Historical era...

Pres. Roosevelt and Admiral Leahy meeting with King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, onboard the USS Quincy

After the United States entered World War II, President Roosevelt decided he needed a senior military officer as personal adviser and point of contact with his three service chiefs, Admiral Ernest King of the Navy, General George Marshall of the Army and General Henry Arnold of the Army Air Forces. The service chiefs resisted this move until Marshall suggested that only Leahy would be accepted in this post. On July 6, 1942, Leahy was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army and Navy, the President of the United States. Image File history File linksMetadata FDR_on_quincy. ... Image File history File linksMetadata FDR_on_quincy. ... `Abd al-`AzÄ«z Ä€l Sa`Å«d (?, 1876 – November 9, 1953) (Arabic: عبدالعزيز آل سعود) was the first monarch of Saudi Arabia. ... The third USS Quincy (CA 71), a heavy cruiser, was authorized 17 June 1940; laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Company, Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts as 9 October 1941; renamed Quincy 16 October 1942 to perpetuate that name after destruction of the second Quincy at the Battle of Savo Island... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Fleet Admiral Ernest Joseph King (November 23, 1878 – June 25, 1956) was Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations (COMINCH-CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH, he directed the United States Navys operations, planning, and administration and was a member of the Joint Chiefs... For other persons named George Marshall, see George Marshall (disambiguation). ... Henry Harley Arnold (June 25, 1886 - January 15, 1950), often referred to by the nickname Hap, was an American pilot, commander of the US Army Air Corps from 1938, commander of the US Army Air Forces from 1941 until 1945 and the first General of the Air Force in 1949. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ...

He was effectively the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a position he held during most of World War II. However, his actual title was Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. The first person to formally be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was Leahy's successor, General of the Army Omar Bradley. Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States of America symbol The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a grouping comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the armed services in the United States armed forces. ... The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer of the United States military, and the principal military advisor to the President of the United States. ... General of the Army is historically the second most senior rank in the United States Army, equivalent to a Field Marshal in other militaries. ... Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893 – April 8, 1981) was one of the main U.S. Army field commanders in North Africa and Europe during World War II and a General of the Army of the United States Army. ...

Leahy was appointed the first US Fleet Admiral on December 15, 1944. He was critical of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that in his eyes were "of no material assistance in our war against Japan". His feeling was that "in being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children." A Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy is an Admiral considered the equivalent of the United States Armys General of the Army. ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Fat Man mushroom cloud resulting from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rises 18 km (11 mi, 60,000 ft) into the air from the hypocenter. ...

After mediating between the United States Navy and the Government of Puerto Rico over the involuntary transfer of part of the islands of Vieques and Culebra to naval authorities, Leahy resigned in March 1949 and the following year published his war memoirs, I Was There. Fleet Admiral Leahy died at Bethesda Naval Hospital on July 20, 1959. Flag Seal Nickname: Isla Nena (Baby Girl Island) Gentilic: Viequenses Location Location of Vieques, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded — Mayor Damaso Serrano López Political party PPD Senatorial district 8 (Carolina) Representative district 36 Geographical characteristics Area Total 348. ... Flag Seal Nickname: La Isla Chiquita (Little Island), Última Virgen (Last Virgin) Gentilic: Culebrenses Location Location of Culebra, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded October 27, 1880 Mayor Abraham Peña Nieves Political party PNP Senatorial district 8 - Carolina Representative district 36 Geographical characteristics Area Total 30. ... The National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, also known as the Bethesda Naval Hospital, is considered the flagship of the United States Navys system of medical centers. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Leahy's name resurfaced in early April 2004 when it was discussed in the media whether or not National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice should testify in front of a congressional panel investigating the September 11, 2001 attacks. This resulted from a photo of Leahy testifying in 1945 to a congressional panel investigating the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, thus demonstrating a precedent for Rice's testimony. Condoleezza Rice (born November 14, 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel Walter Short others Chuichi Nagumo Tamon Yamaguchi Chuichi Hara Gunichi Mikawa Sentaro Omori others Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 aircraft 6 aircraft carriers, 9 destroyers, 2 battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser...

A bilingual book, "Las memorias de Leahy: los relatos del almirante William D. Leahy sobre su gobernación de Puerto Rico (1939-1940)" listing his diary entries from Puerto Rico in both Spanish and English, was published by the Luis Muñoz Marín Foundation in 2001. José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín (February 18, 1898 – April 30, 1980) was a poet, journalist and politician. ...

William Harrison Standley (18 December 1872 - 1963) was a U.S. admiral. ... The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the senior military officer in the United States Navy. ... Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark, (12 November 1880 - 21 August 1972), born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was the USNs 8th Chief of Naval Operations from August 1, 1939 to 26 March 1942. ... José E. Colón was briefly acting Governor of Puerto Rico between June 25, 1939 and 11 September 1939 after the previous governor, Blanton C. Winship, was removed from the office by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for alleged abuse of his authority in depriving the people of Puerto Rico of... Seal of the Governor of Puerto Rico The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ... Dr. José Miguel Gallardo (1897-1976) was a professor at the University of Puerto Rico and two-time (acting) Governor of Puerto Rico. ... William Christian Bullitt, Jr. ... List of United States ambassadors to France : Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, Silas Deane (substitued by John Adams in 1778) 1776-1779 Benjamin Franklin 1779-1785 Thomas Jefferson 1785-1789 Gouverneur Morris 1792-1794 James Monroe 1794-1796 Charles Cotesworth Pinckney 1796-1797 Robert R. Livingston 1801-1804 John Armstrong 1804... Jefferson Caffery (December 1, 1886–April 13, 1974) is the former U.S. ambassador to El Salvador (1926-1928), Colombia (1928-1933), Cuba (1934-1937), Brazil (1937-1944), France (1944-1949), and Egypt (1949-1955). ... The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer of the United States military, and the principal military advisor to the President of the United States. ... Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893 – April 8, 1981) was one of the main U.S. Army field commanders in North Africa and Europe during World War II and a General of the Army of the United States Army. ...

Quotes

• "This is the biggest fool thing we have ever done. The bomb will never go off, and I speak as an expert in explosives." said to president Harry S. Truman, after Vannevar Bush explained how the atomic bomb worked.

Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the thirty-third President of the United States (1945–1953); as Vice President, he succeeded to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... Vannevar Bush (March 11, 1890 – June 30, 1974) was an American engineer and science administrator, known for his political role in the development of the atomic bomb, and the idea of the memex—seen as a pioneering concept for the World Wide Web. ...

Dates of rank

• Midshipman: 1897, 15th of class of 47

A midshipman is a subordinate officer, or alternatively a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the navies of several English-speaking countries. ... Ensign is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. ... LTJG insignia. ... Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... In the Royal Navy, United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, a lieutenant commander (lieutenant-commander or Lt Cdr in the RN) is a commissioned officer superior to a lieutenant and inferior to a commander. ... Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. ... Captain is a rank or title with various meanings. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 241st day of the year (242nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Commodore is a military rank used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a Flag Officer. ... The term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. ... Vice Admiral is a naval rank of three star level, equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. ... For other uses, see Admiral (disambiguation). ... A Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy is an Admiral considered the equivalent of the United States Armys General of the Army. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Fleet Admiral Shoulder Board This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

Decorations and awards

• Navy Cross
• Distinguished Service Medal with two gold stars
• Sampson Medal
• Spanish Campaign Medal
• Philippine Campaign Medal
• Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1912)
• Mexican Service Medal
• Dominican Campaign Medal
• World War I Victory Medal with "Overseas" clasp
• American Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• National Defense Service Medal

The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. ... The Distinguished Service Medal is a high level military and civilian decoration of the United States of America which is issued for meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces. ... The Sampson Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was first authorized in 1901. ... Army Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those members of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish-American War. ... Army and Navy versions of the Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1898 and 1913. ... First and Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medals The Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was authorized by Presidential Order of Woodrow Wilson on September 22, 1913. ... Army & Navy Mexican Service Medals The Mexican Service Medal is an award of the United States military which was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December 12, 1917. ... The Dominican Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was created on December 29, 1921. ... The World War I Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was first created in 1919. ... American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a decoration of the United States military which was first created in 1942 by order of President Franklin Roosevelt. ... WWII Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. ... Ribbon for the National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. ...

External links

• Official Website of Adm. William D. Leahy
• Naval War College Guide to Archives, Manuscripts -2001
• Leahy, William D. Library of Congress Archives: Papers, 1897-1959 (8,000 items)
• Paradoxes of Naval History: Witness to Power: The Life of Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy
• President Roosevelt to the Appointed Ambassador to France (Leahy) on December 20, 1940
• Chronology regarding Truman and the A-bomb:
  From 8/2/45 - 8/10/45 with Smyth report on atomic bomb (August 6, 1951)
• US Navy Historic Center biography of William Leahy
• arlingtoncemetery.net: Biography of William D. Leahy
• Annotated bibliography for Niels Bohr from the Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues
• The Last Salute: Civil and Military Funeral, 1921-1969, CHAPTER XVII, Former Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, Special Military Funeral, 20-23 July 1959 by B. C. Mossman and M. W. Stark