William R. Munroe

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William Robert Munroe
Cuban Pacification
World War I
World War II
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Commendation Medal

William Robert Munroe (April 8, 1886 – March 1, 1966) was a decorated officer in the

Vice Admiral. He trained as submarine commander and at the beginning of World War II, he served as Commander, Battleship Division 3 during Neutrality Patrol
in the Atlantic ocean.

He later served as Commander,

Yucatan Channel, and most of Cuba against threat of german U-boats. In later 1944, Munroe was promoted to command of United States Fourth Fleet patrolling South Atlantic until the end of War.[1]

Early career

William R. Munroe was born on April 8, 1886, in Waco, Texas, the son of Judge Richard Irby Munroe and Mary Lelia Davidson. He graduated from the high school and entered the Baylor University in Waco in summer 1902. Munroe remained there until the end of 1903, when he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. While at the Academy, he was nicknamed "Bob" and was active in the German Class committee. Munroe was also fluent in Portuguese and qualified as interpreter.[2]

Among his classmates were several future admirals including Harry A. Badt, Paul H. Bastedo, John R. Beardall, Abel T. Bidwell, Joseph J. Broshek, Arthur S. Carpender, Jules James, James L. Kauffman, Walter K. Kilpatrick, Thomas C. Kinkaid, Willis A. Lee Jr., William R. Purnell, Francis W. Rockwell, John F. Shafroth Jr. and Richmond K. Turner.[2]

He graduated with

South Atlantic.[3]

In September 1911, Munroe was transferred to the

USS H-3 three months later. The H-3 was launched and commissioned in January 1914 and Munroe was placed in her command. He then led her during the patrols along the West Coast of the United States with the Pacific Fleet until November 1914, when he was transferred to the Bureau of Steam Engineering in Washington, D.C.
, where served as an Inspector.

Munroe was promoted to

USS N-3. Following the United States entry into World War I, he was appointed Commanding officer of that submarine and led her from Puget Sound to Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, arriving in early 1918. Munroe was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant commander on January 1, 1918.[4][5]

He was then ordered to the

USS R-17, which was commissioned in mid-August 1918. Munroe then assumed command of the submarine and patrolled off the Panama Canal Zone against possible U-boat attack and returned to San Francisco, California, in February 1919.[6]

Interwar period

Vice Admiral William R. Munroe in the prewar photo.

Following the war, Munroe was attached to the battleship USS Mississippi, operating with the Pacific Fleet. He was appointed Naval Inspector of Machinery at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, in May 1921 and served there until December 1922, when he was appointed a member of the Naval Mission to Brazil. Munroe returned to the United States in January 1925 and assumed command of destroyer USS Paul Hamilton. He was promoted to Commander on June 4, 1925.[3]

Munroe served with Paul Hamilton within Pacific Fleet until June 1927, when he was ordered to the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island, for senior course. He graduated in June of the following year and joined the War Plans Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. He later served as Naval aide to President Herbert Hoover.[3][7]

After two years in Washington, Munroe was ordered back to sea duty and was appointed Commander, Submarine Division 11 in June 1930. He was later transferred to command of Submarine Division 8, but returned to Washington, D.C., in July 1932, when he was attached to the Office of Naval Intelligence under Captain Hayne Ellis as his Assistant Director of Naval Intelligence.[3]

In July 1935, Munroe was appointed Commander, Destroyer Division 6,

Atlantic ocean during the ongoing War in Europe.[8][9]

World War II

Chester Nimitz
.

Following the Japanese

Seventh Naval District.[10][11]

While in this capacity, Munroe was responsible for the protection of both coasts of

Yucatan Channel, and most of Cuba and directed antisubmarine campaign against germans U-boats penetrating to the Caribbean. He distinguished himself in this capacity and was decorated with Legion of Merit for his service.[12][3][13]

Munroe was transferred to

Third Naval District with responsibility of coastal defense of New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. He was decorated with second Legion of Merit for his service in New York.[14][12][15][1][16][3][17]

Following his promotion to the temporary rank of Vice Admiral on November 11, 1944, Munroe assumed command of United States Fourth Fleet with additional duty as Commander, South Atlantic Force. While in this capacity, he directed the anti-submarine campaign in the South Atlantic in the last months of World War II. Immediately following the capitulation of Germany, he launched and supervised a program to end the use of many shore facilities of the Navy in South America. Munroe was decorated with Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service with Fourth Fleet.[18][12][19][20][3][13]

By the end of August 1945, Munroe was ordered to

Tenth Naval District with headquarters at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois. He held that command until October 1947, when he retired due to health reasons after 39 years of active service. For his service in the Caribbean and Miami, Munroe also received foreign decorations from Brazil, Paraguay and Greece.[21][3][22][23]

Retirement

Upon his retirement from the Navy, Munroe worked for

LL.D. by the Baylor University in 1943.[3][24]

Vice Admiral William R. Munroe died on March 1, 1966, aged 79, at his home in

San Diego. His wife, Katherine Barnewell Johnson, was buried beside him. They had one son William Robert Munroe Jr., who also served in the Navy and retired as Commander.[3]

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Vice Admiral Willard R. Munroe:[12]

Gold star
Bronze star
"A" Device
Submarine Warfare insignia
1st Row Navy Distinguished Service Medal
2nd Row Legion of Merit
with one 5⁄16" Gold Star
Army Commendation Medal
 Cuban Pacification Medal
3rd Row World War I Victory Medal
with Fleet Clasp 		American Defense Service Medal
with "A" Device
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
4th Row American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
 Grand Officer of the
Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil)
5th Row Grand Officer of the
Order of Naval Merit (Brazil) 		National Order of Merit (Paraguay) Commander of the
Order of the Redeemer (Greece)

See also

Military offices
Preceded by Commandant,
Tenth Naval District

August 20, 1945 - May 1, 1947 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, United States Fourth Fleet
November 1944 - August, 1945 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commandant,
Third Naval District

March 25, 1944 - November 1, 1944 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commandant,
Seventh Naval District

April 1, 1943 - March 25, 1944 		Succeeded by
Walter S. Anderson

References

  1. ^ a b "Rear Admiral Munroe to Succeed Marquart As Commandant of the Third Naval District; The New York Times, FRIDAY, March 24, 1944, page 6". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Lucky Bag - USNA Class of 1908". United States Naval Academy. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "WILLIAM MUNROE, ADMIRAL, IS DEAD; The New York Times, THURSDAY, March 3, 1966, page 33". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  4. ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1916. p. 72. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
  5. ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1917. p. 70. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
  6. ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1919. p. 68. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
  7. ^ "USS PAUL HAMILTON (DD-307) - Commanding Officers". navsource.org. NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  8. ^ "COMMANDING OFFICERS BY SIGNAL NUMBER, OCTOBER 1, 1941". 1 October 1941. Archived from the original on 22 October 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  9. ^ "BB-41 USS MISSISSIPPI - Commanding Officers". navsource.org. NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  10. ^ "S.C. Man Named Rear Admiral - San Pedro News Pilot, Volume 15, Number 60, 14 May 1942; page EIGHT". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  11. ^ "12 NEW REAR ADMIRALS; The New York Times, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1941, page 5". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  12. ^ a b c d "Valor awards for Willard R. Munroe". valor.militarytimes.com. Militarytimes Websites. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  13. ^ a b "All Hands - The Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin; August 1946, page 56" (PDF). navy.mil. United States Navy Websites. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  14. ^ "Appendix I: Principal Civilian Officers And Naval Officers In Command 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945". Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  15. ^ "Third Naval District - Naval History and Heritage Command". history.navy.mil. Naval History and Heritage Command Websites. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  16. ^ "MEN OF NAVY HERE IN NEED OF HOMES; The New York Times, MONDAY, September 18, 1944, page 21". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  17. ^ "All Hands - The Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin; March 1945, page 62" (PDF). navy.mil. United States Navy Websites. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  18. ^ Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King (27 March 1945). "SECOND REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY Covering combat operations 1 March 1944 to 1 March 1945". Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  19. ^ "MUNROE OFF TO SEA DUTY; The New York Times, TUESDAY, November 7, 1944, page 29". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  20. ^ "ADMIRAL MUNROE HONORED; The New York Times, FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1946, page 11". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  21. ^ "Tenth Naval District - Naval History and Heritage Command". history.navy.mil. Naval History and Heritage Command Websites. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  22. ^ "All Hands - The Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin; August 1945, page 43" (PDF). navy.mil. United States Navy Websites. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  23. ^ "All Hands - The Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin; May 1947, page 59" (PDF). navy.mil. United States Navy Websites. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  24. ^ "Distinguished Members - Current and Former Companions of the Naval Order". navalorder.org. Naval Order of the United States Websites. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
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