Editing William Fechteler

{{Short description|American admiral (1896–1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= William Fechteler
|image= Portrait of ADM William M. Fechteler (58-64).jpg
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption= Admiral William Fechteler, USN
|nickname=
|birth_date= {{birth date|1896|3|6}}
|birth_place= [[San Rafael, California]], U.S.
|death_date= {{death date and age|1967|7|4|1896|3|6}}
|death_place= [[Bethesda Naval Hospital]], [[Bethesda, Maryland]], U.S.
|placeofburial= [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
|allegiance= <!-- United States; too obvious to list -->
|branch= [[United States Navy]]
|serviceyears= 1916–1956
|rank= [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]]
|unit=
|commands= [[Allied Forces Southern Europe]]<br />[[Chief of Naval Operations]]<br />[[United States Atlantic Command]]<br />[[United States Atlantic Fleet]]<br />Amphibious Group 8, [[United States Seventh Fleet|Seventh Fleet]]<br />{{USS|Indiana|BB-58|6}}<br />{{USS|Perry|DD-340|6}}
|battles= [[World War I]]<br />[[World War II]]<br />[[Korean War]]
|awards= [[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]] (2)<br />[[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Army Distinguished Service Medal]]<br />[[Legion of Merit]]<br />[[Bronze Star Medal]]
|relations= Rear Admiral [[Augustus F. Fechteler]] (father)
|laterwork=
}}
'''William Morrow Fechteler''' (March 6, 1896&nbsp;– July 4, 1967) was an [[admiral]] in the [[United States Navy]] who served as [[Chief of Naval Operations]] during the [[Eisenhower administration]].

==Biography==
Fechteler was born in [[San Rafael, California]], on March 6, 1896, the son of Rear Admiral [[Augustus F. Fechteler]]. He graduated from the [[United States Naval Academy]] with the class of 1916 and served in the [[battleship]] {{USS|Pennsylvania|BB-38|6}} during [[World War I]]. Over the following two decades, Fechteler had a variety of seagoing and shore billets, including several staff positions and command of the [[destroyer]] {{USS|Perry|DD-340|6}}.

In 1942–43, Captain Fechteler served in the Bureau of Navigation (later [[Bureau of Naval Personnel]]), then commanded the battleship {{USS|Indiana|BB-58|6}} in the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]]. Promoted to the rank of [[Rear admiral (United States)|rear admiral]] in early 1944, he was Commander of the [[United States Seventh Fleet|Seventh Fleet]]'s Amphibious Group 8 from August 1944 to March 1945, participating in landings at [[Morotai]], [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]], [[Invasion of Lingayen Gulf|Lingayen]] and elsewhere in the [[Philippines]]. He spent the rest of 1945 as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel, in [[Washington, D.C.]], followed by service as Commander, Battleships & Cruisers, [[United States Atlantic Fleet|Atlantic Fleet]]. As a [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]], he was Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Personnel, from February 1947 until January 1950 and, as an admiral (February 1, 1950), was Commander in Chief, Atlantic and United States Atlantic Fleet in February 1950 – August 1951.

In August 1951, Admiral Fechteler was appointed Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), succeeding Admiral [[Forrest Sherman|Forrest P. Sherman]], who had died in office in July. As CNO, Fechteler was responsible for sustaining [[Korean War]]-era naval activities in the [[Far East]] and in the European area. He made two trips across the Atlantic in 1951–52 and one to Asia. He continued the Navy's building program for new [[aircraft carrier]]s in the face of economy moves and to expand pay and benefits for the Navy's people.

When President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] took office in 1953, he chose to replace all the Armed Forces' chiefs. In August 1953, Admiral Fechteler exchanged positions with the new CNO, Admiral [[Robert Carney|Robert B. Carney]], becoming Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe. He served at that command's [[Naples]] headquarters until July 1956, when he retired. Over the next several years, Fechteler served on a special [[United States Department of Defense|Defense Department]] study committee on personnel compensation and worked for the [[General Electric]] Company.

Fechteler died at  [[Bethesda Naval Hospital]] in [[Bethesda, Maryland]] on July 4, 1967, at the age of 71. He is buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]].<ref>[https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CglmZWNodGVsZXISB3dpbGxpYW0-/ Burial Detail: Fechteler, William M] – ANC Explorer</ref>

==Namesakes==
{{USS|Fechteler|DE-157}} and {{USS|Fechteler|DD-870}} were named for his father, Rear Admiral [[Augustus Fechteler|Augustus F. Fechteler]].

==Decorations==
Admiral William M. Fechteler's ribbon bar:

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="4"|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|other_device=nv|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=9|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Phliber rib.svg|width=106|alt=}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
!1st Row
|colspan="12"|[[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]] w/ Gold Star
|-
!2nd Row
|colspan="4"|[[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Army Distinguished Service Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Legion of Merit]]
|colspan="4"|[[Bronze Star Medal]] <br>with [["V" Device]]
|-
!3rd Row
|colspan="4"|[[Commendation Medal|Navy Commendation Ribbon]]
|colspan="4"|[[Navy Expeditionary Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] <br>with "Atlantic Fleet" Clasp
|-
!4th Row
|colspan="4"|[[American Defense Service Medal]] <br>with "Fleet" clasp
|colspan="4"|[[American Campaign Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] <br>with nine [[battle star]]s
|-
!5th Row
|colspan="4"|[[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[National Defense Service Medal]]
|colspan="4"|[[Philippine Liberation Medal]] <br>with two stars
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
:{{DANFS}}
{{Commons category|William Fechteler}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-f/w-fechtr.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001117094600/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-f/w-fechtr.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 17, 2000 |title=William Fechteler |publisher=Naval Historical Center}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box|title=[[Chief of Naval Operations]]|before=[[Forrest P. Sherman]]|after=[[Robert B. Carney]]|years=1951–1953}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fechteler, William}}
[[Category:1896 births]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of the Korean War]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal]]
[[Category:United States Navy admirals]]
[[Category:United States Navy World War II admirals]]
[[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Chiefs of Naval Operations]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:People from San Rafael, California]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)]]
[[Category:Military personnel from California]]