Clarence Stewart Williams

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Clarence Williams (disambiguation).
Clarence S. Williams
As President of the Naval War College, circa 1923.
BornOctober 7, 1863
Springfield, Ohio
DiedOctober 24, 1951(1951-10-24) (aged 88)
Charlottesville, Virginia
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1884–1927
Rank Admiral
Commands heldUSS Gwin
USS Rhode Island
Battleship Division 8, Atlantic Fleet
Light Cruiser Division 1, Pacific Fleet
Battleship Squadron 4, Pacific Fleet
Battles/warsSpanish–American War
World War I
Other workDirector of the Office of War Plans
President of the Naval War College

Clarence Stewart Williams (October 7, 1863 – October 24, 1951) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander-in-chief of the United States Asiatic Fleet from 1925 to 1927.

Early career

Born in

Gulf of Saint Lawrence from 1887 to 1889, and as instructor in mathematics at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1889 to 1893. From 1893 to 1896, he served as watch officer aboard the protected cruiser USS Charleston, which protected American interests and shipping in South America during the Brazilian Revolution and evacuated missionaries from the coast of China during the Sino-Japanese War. He returned to the U.S. Naval Academy as an instructor of higher mathematics from 1896 to 1898.[1]

During the

dispatch vessel. He was watch officer aboard the unprotected cruiser USS Marblehead from 1899 to 1900 and aboard the battleship USS Iowa from 1900 to 1901.[1] He participated in a preliminary hydrographic survey of Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for a cable station in 1901.[2] From 1901 to 1903, he was an instructor of navigation at the U.S. Naval Academy, then served as executive officer of the hospital ship USS Solace, as executive officer of the monitor USS Monterey, and as navigator of the training ship USS Prairie during 1903 and 1904. He was executive officer of Iowa from 1904 to 1905, navigator of the battleship USS Massachusetts in 1905, and executive officer of Iowa again from 1905 to 1907. He was a member of the Board of Inspection and Survey
from 1911 to 1912.

He commanded the battleship

United States Atlantic Fleet; as commander of Battleship Division 8, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; and as commander of Light Cruiser Division 1, United States Pacific Fleet, on detached duty in the South Atlantic Ocean. He served briefly as chief of staff of the Naval War College early in 1919, but was transferred in June 1919 to command Battleship Squadron 4, U.S. Pacific Fleet.[1]

After the war, he reported to the United States Department of the Navy to organize the Office of War Plans as its first director.[2] He was President of the Naval War College from November 3, 1922, to September 5, 1925.[3]

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Asiatic Fleet

On October 14, 1925, Williams relieved Admiral Thomas Washington as commander-in-chief of the United States Asiatic Fleet and was promoted to the temporary rank of admiral. As senior American officer in the Far East, Williams directed the American military intervention to protect foreign nationals in China at the beginning of the Chinese Civil War.

In 1926, the

American minister to China, John Van Antwerpt MacMurray, requested military intervention to protect their lives and interests. The United States Department of State directed Williams to protect lives by evacuating Americans from the interior but not to protect private property unless lives were endangered. American forces were authorized to cooperate with other foreign forces, but not to participate in joint military actions.[4]

At the height of the crisis, 171 warships of various nations were anchored off Shanghai. The American force included four

Smedley D. Butler. Williams was the senior officer of the international armada, although the British had more ships.[5] Once Shanghai was secured, Williams sent reinforcements to Tientsin with orders to defend Americans in that city; to protect the Tientsin-Peking railroad; and, if necessary, to rescue MacMurray and the American legation from Peking.[4] The threat to foreign nationals gradually faded as the strong foreign military presence helped deter further violence targeted against foreigners, and as the uneasy alliance between the Kuomintang and the Communists disintegrated into the Chinese Civil War.[5]

Williams was relieved as commander-in-chief of the Asiatic Fleet by Admiral Mark L. Bristol on September 9, 1927, and reverted to his permanent rank of rear admiral, retiring shortly thereafter.

Personal life

Williams married the former Anne Miller on June 6, 1888, and had a son, Edgar M. Williams, who became a captain in the U.S. Navy.[1]

Williams died in Charlottesville, Virginia.[2] He is buried with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law in Arlington National Cemetery.[1]

Gallery

  • Williams circa 1915.
    Williams circa 1915.
  • Williams is standing third from the right in this 7 August 1928 photograph of retired U.S. Navy rear admirals and other retirees at Rear Admiral Spencer S. Wood's home in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
    Williams is standing third from the right in this 7 August 1928 photograph of retired U.S. Navy rear admirals and other retirees at Rear Admiral Spencer S. Wood's home in Jamestown, Rhode Island.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Heaton, Dean R. (1995), Four Stars: The Super Stars of United States Military History, Baltimore: Gateway Press, pp. 425, 438
  2. ^ a b c "Admiral Williams, In Navy 4 Decades - Retired Battleship Commander Dies at 88 in Virginia - Once Headed the Asiatic Fleet", The New York Times, October 25, 1951
  3. ^ Naval War College Past Presidents Archived January 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7425-4487-1
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4289-1650-0
Military offices
Preceded by
William S. Sims
 President of the Naval War College
November 3, 1922–September 5, 1925 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander in Chief, United States Asiatic Fleet
October 14, 1925 – September 9, 1927 		Succeeded by
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