Benedict J . Semmes , Jr . Benedict Joseph Semmes , Jr . ( 8 April 1913 – 4 June 1994 ) was a vice admiral of the United States Navy . His career included service in World War II and the Cold War , command of destroyer s , a lengthy tour as Chief of Naval Personnel , command of the United States Second Fleet , duty as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations , and a tour as President of the Naval War College . Naval career . Semmes was born in Memphis , Tennessee , on 8 April 1913 . He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1934 . As a lieutenant commander , Semmes took command of the destroyer during World War II on 12 August 1944 and continued as her commanding officer until August 1945 . During his time in command , " Picking " escorted troop transport s during the Leyte campaign in October 1944 – narrowly missing action in the Battle of Leyte Gulf – and escorted amphibious forces and rendered gunfire support to troops ashore during the Luzon campaign in January 1945 . In April and May 1945 , " Picking " repeated these duties during the Okinawa campaign . When , on 18 May 1945 , the destroyer ran aground on a reef off Okinawa and came under fire from Japan ese artillery on the island , " Picking " attempted to pull " Longshaw " off the reef under Japanese fire and , failing in that , stood by " Longshaw " , returning fire against the Japanese guns and defending " Longshaw " until " Longshaw " s crew was forced to abandon ship . Semmes received the Navy Cross for this action . After World War II , Semmes was commanding officer of the destroyer from January 1948 to July 1949 . In May 1964 Semmes became Chief of Naval Personnel , serving in the position until March 1968 ; he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit for the tour . In April 1968 he became Commander of the United States Second Fleet , with additional duty as Commander , Strike Fleet , Atlantic , until September 1970 . He then served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations from October 1970 to July 1971 , receiving a second award of the Legion of Merit for the tour . On 17 August 1971 , Semmes became the 36th President of the Naval War College . He served as president until 30 June 1972 . During his presidency , he shifted the colleges emphasis from foreign and international affairs to management concepts . Semmes retired from the Navy in 1972 as a vice admiral upon the conclusion of his college presidency . Personal life . Semmes was married to the former Katherine " Kit " Ainsworth ( 23 May 1918 – 24 May 2007 ) , the daughter of Vice Admiral Walden L . " Pug " Ainsworth ( 10 November 1886 – 7 August 1960 ) . They had a son and three daughters , one of whom , Raphaelle , died during Benedict Semmes lifetime on 6 June 1993 . Semmes was a resident of Wonalancet , New Hampshire , but also lived frequently in the Washington , D . C . , area from 1952 until his death . Semmes was a member of the Army and Navy Club in Washington , D . C . In retirement , he was director of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge and president of the Wonalancet Preservation Society . Death . Semmes was visiting Virginia Beach , Virginia , to attend the 27 May 1994 decommissioning of the frigate – namesake of his father - in - law – when he fell ill . He died of respiratory failure in a hospital there on 4 June 1994 after undergoing intestinal surgery . He is buried with his wife at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington , Virginia .