Evening star., 1932-05-21
BENSON FUNERAL
SET FOR MONDAY
Services at st. Matthew's
Church Will Precede Burial
in Arlington Cemetery.

The full measure of the Nays de-
votion, with colorful military honors,
will be given Admiral William S. Ben
son, World War chief of naval opera
tions, at burial service in Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery Monday morning. The
admiral died suddenly at his home, 2420
Tracy place, of a cerebral hemorrhage,
shortly after noon yesterday. He was
nearly II years old. He was created a
full admiral few years ago by special
legislation.
The funeral will be held at 10 o'clock
at st. Matthew's Catholic Church.
Archbishop Michael j. Curley of Balti-
more may officiate. At IL o'clock, the
funeral cortege is to appear at the Fort
Myer, Va, gate.
One company of bluejackets, COM
pany of Marines and the Navy Band
will render final honors.
First Operations Chief.
High honors in church and state
came to Admiral Benson. He became
the first chief of Naval Operations
after that Office was created in 1915
and to him fell the main task of build
ing up the Navy to war strength. Later,
under his guidance, the war machine
was dismantled and put again on a
peace footing.
Admiral William v. Pratt, present
chief of Naval Operations, was Admiral
Benson's assistant during the war.
He stood like a rock at time when
the Navy needed such men" Admiral
Pratt said yesterday, "and his name
will go down to posterity as one of the
finest characters that has ever worn
the Navy cloth"
Twice Admiral Benson was called to
Europe to confer with Col Edward M.
House President Wilson's personal rep
resentative. After the war, the admiral
went to Versailles as adviser to Presi-
dent Wilson.
Retirement came upon reaching the
statutory age of "a years and he left
the service in which he had earned high
renown on September 25, 1919. His
conduct in the war brought him the
Distinguished Service Medal by the
Navy and like award from the Army;
the Grand Cross, Legion of Honor. by
the government of France: the Grand
Cross of the Order Of St. Michael and
st. George, by the British government;
the Order of the Rising Sun, First Glass,
by Japan, and the Order of st. Gregory
the Great MILITARY Glass, First Order)
by Pope Benedict XIV,
Was Active in Catholic Affairs.
Since his retirement, Admiral Benson
had lived in Washington at his home,
2420 Tracy place He had taken lead
ing part in the affairs of the Catholic
Church. He was active in the National
Council of Catholic Men and also figured
in initiating the Nationwide Sunday
radio programs explaining Catholic doc
trine
Several years ago Notre Dame Uni
versity bestowed upon him the Laetare
Medal. which is awarded annually to
an outstanding Catholic layman. He
was vice president of the Cardinal
Gibbons Memorial Institute, member
of the board of governors of the Cath
olic Church Extension Society and was
on the advisory board of Trinity College.
Born on a plantation near Macon,
Ga, in 1855, he received his appoint
ment to the Naval Academy from Rep
resentative Spear of Georgia.. But the
rigors of the Civil War and the lean
days of reconstruction handicapped him
for the high standard of schooling re-
quired at the academy and he failed
in mathematics at the entrance exami-
nations.
But this failure he turned into vic
tory for he secured another chance at
the Naval Academy examination, and
this time was successful.
Admiral Benson commanded various
types Of ships during his lengthy serv-
ice and served in many parts OF the
globe Even when the age limit forced
his retirement, he continued to foster
a lively interest in maritime affairs AS
a member of the Shipping Board and
Emergency Fleet Corporation. he con-
tributed to the development of the in
ternal combustion engine and the Die
sci electric and was interested in ex-
pansion of the American merchant
marine.