United States Navy Admiral. He served as the President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and as the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington DC. He was selected to attend the US Naval Academy and graduated in 1889. After serving the required two years at sea on the protected cruised USS Atlanta, he received his commission as an ensign in July 1891. He then served successive tours on the cruisers USS Chicago and USS Philadelphia, the gunboat USS Petrel, the sloop USS Lancaster, and gunboat USS Annapolis. During the Spanish-American War, he served on the gunboat USS Mayflower, participating in the Cuban blockades of Havana and Santiago, and at Puerto Rico, and the cruiser USS Newark. After the war, he served on the gunboat USS Bennington, the monitor USS Monadnock, the battleships USS Indiana and Kearsarge. From 1900 until 1902 he was assigned to the US Naval Academy. Later, as he moved up the ranks, he served as navigator on the cruiser USS Newark and saw action in the Philippine-American War. In 1905 he returned to the Naval Academy as an instructor until 1908 when he was sent back to sea duty as executive officer on the cruisers USS St. Louis and USS California. Promoted to the rank of commander, in January 1911 he began a tour of duty as an instructor at the Naval War College that lasted until June of 1913. He then spent the next two years in the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla, much of that as Commanding Officer of its flagship, the scout cruiser USS Birmingham. From 1915 until 1917 he was assigned to the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. In 1918, during World War I, he served as the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations in Washington DC. In 1919 he returned to sea as commander of the battleship USS New York and as Commander Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet. Following promotion to rear admiral in mid-1921, he was a member of the General Board in Washington DC and served as a technical advisor during the negotiations that led to the Washington Naval Limitations Treaty of February 1922. From 1923 until 1925 he commanded a battleship division and was president of the court of inquiry that examined the September 8, 1923 Honda Point Disaster that occurred off the coast of Santa Barbara County, California, the largest peacetime loss of US Navy ships. From September 1925 until September 1927 he served as President of the Naval War College. In June 1928 he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral and returned to sea as Commander Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet. The following year, he became Commander Battle Fleet in the rank of Admiral and from 1929 to 1930 was Commander-in-Chief United States Fleet, and finally Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Washington DC from 1930 until 1933, retiring as CNO with 44 years of continuous military service. Among his military awards and decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Army Distinguished Service Medal. After his military retirement, he resided in Maine and New York City, New York. During World War II, he wrote a regular column for a nationally-circulated magazine and in 1941 he spent several months on active duty with the Navy Department studying measures to counter the German submarine threat. He died at the age of 88. In 1960 the destroyer USS William V. Pratt was named in his honor.
United States Navy Admiral. He served as the President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and as the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington DC. He was selected to attend the US Naval Academy and graduated in 1889. After serving the required two years at sea on the protected cruised USS Atlanta, he received his commission as an ensign in July 1891. He then served successive tours on the cruisers USS Chicago and USS Philadelphia, the gunboat USS Petrel, the sloop USS Lancaster, and gunboat USS Annapolis. During the Spanish-American War, he served on the gunboat USS Mayflower, participating in the Cuban blockades of Havana and Santiago, and at Puerto Rico, and the cruiser USS Newark. After the war, he served on the gunboat USS Bennington, the monitor USS Monadnock, the battleships USS Indiana and Kearsarge. From 1900 until 1902 he was assigned to the US Naval Academy. Later, as he moved up the ranks, he served as navigator on the cruiser USS Newark and saw action in the Philippine-American War. In 1905 he returned to the Naval Academy as an instructor until 1908 when he was sent back to sea duty as executive officer on the cruisers USS St. Louis and USS California. Promoted to the rank of commander, in January 1911 he began a tour of duty as an instructor at the Naval War College that lasted until June of 1913. He then spent the next two years in the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla, much of that as Commanding Officer of its flagship, the scout cruiser USS Birmingham. From 1915 until 1917 he was assigned to the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. In 1918, during World War I, he served as the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations in Washington DC. In 1919 he returned to sea as commander of the battleship USS New York and as Commander Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet. Following promotion to rear admiral in mid-1921, he was a member of the General Board in Washington DC and served as a technical advisor during the negotiations that led to the Washington Naval Limitations Treaty of February 1922. From 1923 until 1925 he commanded a battleship division and was president of the court of inquiry that examined the September 8, 1923 Honda Point Disaster that occurred off the coast of Santa Barbara County, California, the largest peacetime loss of US Navy ships. From September 1925 until September 1927 he served as President of the Naval War College. In June 1928 he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral and returned to sea as Commander Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet. The following year, he became Commander Battle Fleet in the rank of Admiral and from 1929 to 1930 was Commander-in-Chief United States Fleet, and finally Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Washington DC from 1930 until 1933, retiring as CNO with 44 years of continuous military service. Among his military awards and decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Army Distinguished Service Medal. After his military retirement, he resided in Maine and New York City, New York. During World War II, he wrote a regular column for a nationally-circulated magazine and in 1941 he spent several months on active duty with the Navy Department studying measures to counter the German submarine threat. He died at the age of 88. In 1960 the destroyer USS William V. Pratt was named in his honor.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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