William Harrison Standley William Harrison Standley ( 18 December 1872 - 25 October 1963 ) was a U . S . admiral . He served as the Chief of Naval Operations between 1933 and 1937 . He also served as the U . S . ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1941 until 1943 . Biography . William Standley was born in Ukiah , California , where his grandfather operated a hotel , and his father , " Doc " Standley was Mendocino County Sheriff . William Standley graduated from the Naval Academy in 1895 . He then served the required two years ' sea duty in the cruiser before he received his commission as an ensign in 1897 . During the Spanish – American War , he served in the monitor and later in the gunboat . After the fighting with Spain had ended , he joined the gunboat , during the Philippine – American War . He won a commendation for bravery during a volunteer reconnaissance mission carried out at Baler , on 11 April 1899 . In conjunction with a feint conducted by Lt . J . C . Gilmore , Standley — then an ensign — ventured into enemy territory to reconnoiter insurgent positions . Ordered to the gunboat on 29 May 1901 , Standley later became Officer in Charge , Branch Hydrographic Office , San Francisco , California , in October of the same year . Assigned to the training ship in June 1902 , he later served as engineer in the ship and as aide to the Commandant of the Naval Station at Tutuila , Samoa . Designated as the captain of the yard there in 1905 , Standley discharged his duties as officer in charge of the native guard and chief customs officer until detached with orders to the United States in October 1906 . Reporting to the receiving ship in January 1907 , Standley served as executive officer of the cruiser from February 1909 to August 1910 . From January 1910 , he also discharged duties as " Albany ' s " navigator as well . Standley then reported to the armored cruiser on 3 November 1910 and was navigator of that ship until becoming aide to the Commandant of the Mare Island Navy Yard at Vallejo , California . After three years in that post , Standley became executive officer of the battleship and later took command of the gunboat " Yorktown " on 15 May 1915 . World War I . Returning to the Naval Academy on 14 October 1916 , as Assistant to the Superintendent in charge of Building and Grounds , he later served for 11 months as Commandant of Midshipmen . Under his direction , the new seamanship and navigation buildings were constructed , and over four million dollars were expended in enlarging Bancroft Hall to accommodate the increased number of midshipmen appointed during the World War I period . For his " highly meritorious " service in those posts at Annapolis , Standley received a special letter of commendation from the Secretary of the Navy . Detached from the Naval Academy in July 1919 , Standley soon thereafter assumed command of the pre - dreadnought battleship and , a year later , received orders to attend the Naval War College . After completing his studies at Newport , Standley returned to sea , serving as Assistant Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief , Battle Fleet , from 5 July 1921 to 30 June 1923 , before he reported to Washington for duty heading the War Plans Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations ( CNO ) . Completing the latter tour on 1 February 1926 , Standley then commanded from 15 February 1926 to 11 October 1927 . He returned to shore duty in Washington , D . C . , as Director of the Fleet Training Division , Office of the CNO , and held that post until 14 May 1928 . He then served as Assistant CNO until 17 September 1930 , when he became Commander , Destroyer Squadrons , Battle Fleet , a title that changed to Commander , Destroyers , Battle Force , United States Fleet , on 1 April 1931 , with additional duty as Commander , Destroyers , United States Fleet . Designated as a member of the Navy Department ' s Selection Board on 18 November 1931 , Standley became Commander , Cruisers , Scouting Forces — with additional duties as Commander , Cruisers , U . S . Fleet , and Commander , Cruiser Division 5 — on 16 December of the same year . Appointed vice admiral , on 20 January 1932 while in command of the Battle Force ' s cruisers , Standley was placed in command of the Battle Force , U . S . Fleet , with the rank of admiral , on 20 May 1933 . Breaking his flag in his former command , " California " , the admiral remained at sea until 1 July 1933 , when President Franklin D . Roosevelt appointed him CNO . Before being retired , at his own request , on 1 January 1937 and handing over the reins of office to Admiral William D . Leahy , Admiral Standley frequently performed the duties of Acting Secretary of the Navy , due to the declining health of Secretary of the Navy Claude A . Swanson . Standley represented the United States as a delegate to the London Naval Conference between 7 December 1935 to 25 March 1936 and signed that accord on behalf of the United States . In addition , during his tenure as CNO , Standley initiated the Vinson - Trammell Naval Bill that provided for establishing , building , and maintaining the United States Navy at treaty strength . World War II . Recalled to active duty on 13 February 1941 , Standley served as naval representative on the planning board of the Office of Production Management ( OPM ) for seven months . After leaving the OPM in the autumn of 1941 , Standley served as the American naval member on the Beaverbrook - Harriman Special War Supply Mission to the USSR . Upon his return from the Soviet Union , Standley became a member of the Navy Board for Production Awards . When President Roosevelt established the Roberts Commission to investigate the attack on Pearl Harbor , he selected Admiral Standley as one of the members of that sensitive body that studied the attack into early 1942 . In February 1942 , Standley was appointed American Ambassador to the USSR , a post he held into the autumn of 1943 . Subsequently recalled to active duty once more , in March 1944 , Standley served in the Office of Strategic Services throughout the remaining period of hostilities . Relieved of all active duty on 31 August 1945 , Standley lived in retirement at San Diego , California , until his death on 25 October 1963 . Namesake . The cruiser was named in his honor . Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area , a California state recreation area , is named for him , as is a middle school in San Diego .