William H Standley (CG 32) - Naval Cruise Book

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WILLIAM HARRISON STANDLEY, USN l William Harrison Standley was born in Llkiah, Calitlorriia Ile en tered the Naval Academy in 1891, graduating with the t lass of 1895. His early career in warship-. was distinguished by an heroic action during the Philippine lnsurrection of 1899, when he was commended for bravery in connection with a reconnoitering expedition in hostile territory. ln the years before Wlorld INar I, he si,-ivetl at sea in nearly every type of combatant ship from monitor to battleship and ashore in stations ranging from San Francisco to Samoa. from 1910 to 1919, he returned to the Naval Academy as Assistant to the Superintendent. While there, he supervised a major expansion in the Academy and for eleven months was Commandant of Midshipmen. In the post war years, his duties at sea included tours as Command- ing Officer of the battleships USS VIRGINA and CALIFORNIA. Commander Destroyers, U.S. Fleet and culminated in his appoint- ment as Commander Battle Force. US. Fleet on june 8, 1933. He broke his flag on USS CALIFORNIA and remained at sea until ,Iuly 1, 1933 when he was appointed Chief of Naval Operations, with the rank of Admiral. During his period of office, Secretary of the Navy Swanson was frequently absent due to illness, and Admiral Standley performed the duties of Acting Secretary of the Navy and a member of FDR's Cabinet. He was a United Nations Delegate to the London Naval Conference held in London. England during the period 7 December 1935 to March 25, 1936, and signed the London Naval Treaty on behalf of the United States. Before his retirement on January 1, 1937, he also initiated the Vinson-Trammell Bill, which provided for estab- lishing, building and maintaining the US. Navy at treaty-strength. Recalled to active duty on February 13, 1941, he served for seven months as the Naval Representative on the Planning Board of the Office of Production Management. ln the fall of 1941, he served as the US. Naval member of the Beaverbrook-Harrison Special War Supply Mis.-.ion to the USSR. and, after his return from the Soviet Union, was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Navy Depart- ment as a member of the Roberts Commission appointed by the President on December 18, 1941 to investigate and report the facts to the attack made by the japanese upon Pearl Harbor, T,H., December 7, 1941. ln February 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Admi- ral Standley US. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, and on March 18 the same year, awarded him Distinguished Service Medal with the following citation: For exceptionally meritorious service to the Gov- ernment of the United States in duties of great responsibility during his career as an Officer of the Navy. He remained Ambassador until October 1943. Again recalled to active duty in March 1944, Admiral Standley served in the Office of Strategic Service, throughout the remaining period of hostilities, being relieved of all active duty on August 31, 1945. Hedied in San Diego, California on October 25, 1963 at the age of 91. The best summation of the principles for which Admiral Standley stood can be found in his own words: Finally, we must each of us know, honor, and frequently recall the eternal values of beliefs which we work, for which we are committed to fight, by which, in the long course, we must live or die.

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