Admiral William Morrow Fechteler Chief of Naval Operations - 1896-1967 - Of Chiefs And Chairmen - Brief Article

Joint Force Quarterly, Summer, 2002

VITA

Born in San Rafael, California; graduated from U.S. Naval Academy (1916); served on battleship USS Pennsylvania during World War I; assigned ashore and afloat in interwar years; operations office, Destroyer Command, Battle Forces, U.S. Fleet; commanded USS Perry; served in Bureau of Navigation (1942-43), USS Indiana in Gilbert, New Hebrides, and Marshall Islands (1943-44), Amphibious Group 8, Seventh Fleet Amphibious Force (1944-45); participated in landings at Morotai, Leyte, and Lingayen; commanded VII Force in assault on Biak and Sansapor; responsible for landings in southwestern Luzon and Palawan, Philippines (1945); Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel (1945); commander, Battleships and Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet (1945-47); Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Personnel (1947-50); Commander in Chief, Atlantic and U.S. Atlantic Fleet (1950-51); Chief of Naval Operations (1951-53); Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe (1953-56); died in Bethesda, Maryland.

Naval and Marine forces must continue to be deployed in various strategic areas throughout the world in support of foreign policy. These forces are capable of rapid redeployment to meet shifts in global strategy. Specifically, the Navy and Marine Corps will maintain forces in mobile combat readiness to deter aggression, protect citizens, promote the interests of the United States, provide aid to our allies and support them in the execution of their responsibilities, and to support the operations of the other services.

--From hearings before the House Committee on Appropriations (February 11, 1952)