Benson, William Shepherd, 1855-1932

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William Shepherd Benson (1855-1932) was the first Chief of Naval Operations, serving from May 11, 1915 to September 25, 1919.

From the description of Benson, William Shepherd, 1855-1932 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10569386

U.S. naval officer and public official.

From the description of William Shepherd Benson papers, circa 1791-1952 (bulk 1915-1928). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70981098

Epithet: US admiral

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000471.0x000140

Biographical Note

  • 1855, Sept. 25: Born, Macon, Bibb County, Ga.
  • 1877: Graduated, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
  • 1877 - 1888 : Duty in Hartford (sloop), Constitution (frigate), and Yantic (gunboat)
  • 1879: Married Mary Augusta Wyse
  • 1888 - 1889 : Duty in Dolphin (despatch boat)
  • 1890 - 1893 : Duty at the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Lighthouse Survey, and as instructor, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
  • 1893: Promoted to lieutenant
  • 1896 - 1898 : Instructor, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
  • 1901 - 1903 : Assistant to the commandant of midshipmen, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
  • 1905: Promoted to commander
  • 1907 - 1908 : Commandant of midshipmen, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
  • 1908 - 1910 : Commanded Albany (cruiser), Pacific Fleet, and chief of staff of the fleet
  • 1909: Promoted to captain
  • 1910 - 1913 : Commanded Utah (battleship), flagship of the Atlantic Fleet
  • 1913 - 1915 : Commandant, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pa.
  • 1915: Promoted to rear admiral
  • 1915 - 1919 : Chief of naval operations
  • 1916: Promoted to admiral
  • 1917: Member, House Mission; appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to confer with Allied and Associated Powers in Europe
  • 1918 - 1919 : Member of special mission abroad; naval representative in drawing up naval terms of armistice with Central Powers; naval adviser to American Commission to Negotiate Peace
  • 1919: Retired from United States Navy
  • 1920 - 1921 : Chairman, United States Shipping Board
  • 1921 - 1925 : President, National Council of Catholic Men
  • 1921 - 1928 : Commissioner, United States Shipping Board
  • 1923: Published The Merchant Marine. New York: Macmillan
  • 1932, May 20: Died, Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the William Shepherd Benson Papers, circa 1791-1952, (bulk 1915-1928), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn The Jellicoe Papers, 1893-1936 British Library: Western Manuscripts
creatorOf Records of Naval Operating Forces. 1849 - 1997. World War I Era Cablegrams, Radiograms, and Telegrams National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Mary Klachko Papers, 1852-1995 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Henry T. Mayo Papers, 1866-1972, (bulk 1900-1918) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Vol. XLVIII (ff. 244). 1917.includes:f. 1 Admiral Sir William Lowther Grant, KCB: Letters, etc., to Lord Jellicoe: 1916, 1917.ff. 3-8, 14, 24, 30-31b, 131 Admiral Mark Edward Frederic Kerr: Letters to Lord Jellicoe: 1916, 1917.ff. 9, 16 Admiral..., 1917 British Library
referencedIn Mayo, Henry T. (Henry Thomas), 1856-1937. Papers, 1866-1972 (bulk 1900-1918). Library of Congress
referencedIn Stanford Caldwell Hooper Papers, 1899-1955, (bulk 1918-1945) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn William Sowden Sims Papers, 1856-1951, (bulk 1900-1936) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. DECORATION CEREMONIES AT AMERICAN G.H.Q., 1918-1919 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Albert Gleaves Papers, 1803-1946, (bulk 1877-1937) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. GLIMPSES OF PERSONS, PLACES, AND EVENTS DURING. . . CONFERENCES AT PARIS . . . 1918-1919 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Josephus Daniels Papers, 1829-1948, (bulk 1913-1921) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Edward Mandell House papers, 1885-2007, 1885-1938 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Benson, William Shepherd, 1855-1932. Papers. [microform]. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn William Banks Caperton Papers, 1873-1939 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf William Shepherd Benson Papers, circa 1791-1952, (bulk 1915-1928) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1798 - 2007. Moving Images Relating to Naval Activities. 1942 - 1947. VISIT OF SIR ERIC GEDDES [ETC.] National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Records of the U.S. Shipping Board. 1914 - 1939. Records of Commissioner Admiral William S. Benson National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Klachko, Mary. Mary Klachko papers, 1852-1995. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Cummings, Charles Kimball. Diary, October 11, 1917-September 9, 1918. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
referencedIn Rodgers Family Papers, 1788-1944, (bulk 1820-1930) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. SCENES OF FRENCH ARMY HEADQUARTERS AND INTER ALLIED BOARDS [1918] National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1798 - 2007. Moving Images Relating to Naval Activities. 1942 - 1947. WARTIME HOUSING, ETC National Archives at College Park
referencedIn William F. Fullam Papers, 1873-1942, (bulk 1906-1922) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Henry Croskey Mustin Papers, 1886-1924, (bulk 1903-1920) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON ENROUTE TO PARIS ... DEC. 4-15, 1918 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1798 - 2007. Moving Images Relating to Naval Activities. 1942 - 1947. VICE ADMIRAL ALBERT GLEAVES, ETC National Archives at College Park
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Adams, Charles Francis, 1835-1915 person
associatedWith Allied and Associated Powers (1914-1920) corporateBody
associatedWith Allied Naval Armistice Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Allied Naval Council. corporateBody
correspondedWith Andrews, Philip, 1866-1945 person
correspondedWith Baker, Newton Diehl, 1871-1937 person
correspondedWith Baruch, Bernard M. (Bernard Mannes), 1870-1965 person
correspondedWith Belknap, Reginald Rowan, 1871-1959 person
correspondedWith Bliss, Tasker Howard, 1853-1930 person
correspondedWith Browning, Montague C. person
correspondedWith Bullard, William Hannum Grubb, 1866-1927 person
correspondedWith Caperton, William Banks, 1855-1941 person
associatedWith Catholic Church corporateBody
associatedWith Cummings, Charles Kimball. person
correspondedWith Curley, Michael Joseph, 1879-1947 person
correspondedWith Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948 person
correspondedWith Davis, Norman H. (Norman Hezekiah), 1878-1944 person
correspondedWith Fletcher, Duncan Upshaw, 1859-1936 person
associatedWith Fullam, William F. (William Freeland), 1855-1926. person
correspondedWith Gibbons, James, 1834-1921 person
associatedWith Gleaves, Albert, 1858-1937. person
correspondedWith Goff, Guy Despard, 1867-1933 person
correspondedWith Grew, Joseph C. (Joseph Clark), 1880-1965 person
correspondedWith Hooper, Stanford Caldwell, 1884-1955. person
correspondedWith Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964 person
correspondedWith House, Edward Mandell, 1858-1938 person
correspondedWith Hurley, Edward N. (Edward Nash), 1864-1933 person
associatedWith Klachko, Mary. person
correspondedWith Knapp, Harry Shepard, 1856-1923 person
correspondedWith La Farge, John, 1880-1963 person
correspondedWith Lansing, Robert, 1864-1928 person
correspondedWith Lasker, Albert Davis, 1880-1952 person
correspondedWith March, Peyton Conway, 1864-1955 person
correspondedWith Mayo, Henry T. (Henry Thomas), 1856-1937. person
correspondedWith McGowan, Samuel, 1870-1934 person
associatedWith Mustin, Henry Croskey, 1874-1923. person
associatedWith National Council of Catholic Men (U.S.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Niblack, Albert P. (Albert Parker), 1859-1929 person
associatedWith Paris Peace Conference (1919-1920) corporateBody
correspondedWith Peoples, C. J. person
correspondedWith Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948 person
associatedWith Phelan, James D. (James Duval), 1861-1930. person
associatedWith Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Rodgers family family
correspondedWith Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 person
correspondedWith Scott, Hugh Lenox, 1853-1934 person
correspondedWith Sims, William Sowden, 1858-1936 person
correspondedWith Teal, Joseph Nathan, 1858-1929 person
correspondedWith Tillman, Benjamin R. (Benjamin Ryan), 1847-1918 person
associatedWith United States. American Commission to Negotiate Peace. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Naval Affairs. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Navy. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Shipping Board. corporateBody
correspondedWith Wilson, Henry B. person
correspondedWith Wilson, Henry B. person
correspondedWith Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
United States
Subject
Disarmament
Merchant marine
Merchant marine
Navy-yards and naval stations
Navy-yards and naval stations
Shipping
Shipping
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
Occupation
Naval officers
Public officials
Activity

Person

Birth 1855-09-25

Death 1932-05-20

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6tx4611

SNAC ID: 35553970