Philip Williams (1869 – October 31, 1942) was a decorated
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and one-time military
Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
The governor of the United States Virgin Islands is the head of government of the United States Virgin Islands whose responsibilities also include making the annual State of the Territory addresses to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, Virgi ...
.
Williams entered the
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...
in 1889, became an
Ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
in 1891, a
lieutenant junior grade
Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies.
United States
Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), is ...
in 1894, and a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in 1897. He served in the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
and commanded during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, for which he received the
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...
. In 1919, he was given command of , before being reassigned to the
Bureau of Navigation
The Bureau of Navigation, later the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection and finally the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation — not to be confused with the United States Navys Bureau of Navigation — was an agency of the United ...
. From 1922 to 1924, he commanded , before being appointed as Governor of the
United States Virgin Islands
The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...
.
Time as governor
During his turn as governor, the previous governments of the islands were criticized for not doing enough to fortify the islands as a military base. Political pressure was also mounting as the Colonial Council, the local government body, voted to request greater authority over the islands but were denied. (The rationale being that they did not suffer from "taxation without representation" because the amount paid in taxes by the Islanders were less than the amount of support received yearly from the Federal government.)
On August 28, 1924, a
hurricane
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
swept through the islands, resulting in four deaths and one person still missing, all on
St. John. In addition, 300–400 houses were destroyed and the
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...
sent $5,000 (approximately $54,000 in 2005 dollars) in aid. The nearby British island of
Tortola
Tortola () is the largest and most populated island of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It has a surface area of with a total population of 23,908, with 9,400 residents in ...
suffered many more casualties and resources were dispatched from the US Virgin Islands to assist.
Williams resigned as Governor due to health problems in 1926 and retired from the Navy in 1927. Following his retirement, he continued to work with the Navy and authored several textbooks using in the academy.
See also
References
*"Only Four are Killed on Virgin Islands." ''The Atlanta Constitution'' (1881–2001). Atlanta, Ga.: Sep 4, 1924. pg. 6, 1 pgs
*"New Governor of Virgin Islands." ''Los Angeles Times''. Los Angeles, Calif.: Aug 7, 1925. pg. 2, 1 pgs
*"What To Do With The Virgin Islands? Valesku Bari." ''The North American Review''. Boston: Dec 1925 – Feb 1926. Iss. NO. 829; pg. 266, 8 pgs
*"Capt. Williams Dies in Naval Hospital." ''The Washington Post''. Washington, D.C.: Nov 2, 1942. pg. B5, 1 pgs
*"Captain Williams, Insular Ex-Head." Special to The New York Times. ''New York Times''. New York, N.Y.: Nov 4, 1942. pg. 23, 1 pgs
External links
1869 births
1942 deaths
Governors of the United States Virgin Islands
United States Navy officers
Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
United States Navy personnel of World War I
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