BENSON, William Shepherd, American admiral: b. Macon, Ga., 25 Sept. 1855. He was graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1877; rose to lieutenant in 1893; lieut.-commander in 1909; captain, 1909, and rear-admiral 11 May 1915. On the last-men tioned date he was named by Secretary Daniels as Chief of Naval Operations; in 1916 he was granted the title of admiral, and in January 1917 was. designated Li president ex-officio of the Navy General Board. During his long service of over 40 years Admiral Benson has performed numerous duties afloat and ashore, as squadron commander and in the Naval Academy. During the Naval War game held off the North Atlantic coast in August 1916, the admiral announced that beginning in the spring of 1917 all reserve battleships would be sent regularly to participate in target practice in order to maintain the personnel and batteries in fighting trim. A sensational development of that war game was the °defeat* of the de fending °Blue* fleet under Admiral Helm by the attacking °Red* fleet under Admiral Mayo, who succeeded—theoretically—in landing °attacking') troops at Far Rockaway Beach, Long Island. Admiral Benson stated that when
the Navy Department's plans for establishing submarine bases along both coasts were carried into effect, such a feat as the landmg of a hostile force on these shores would be quite impossible. In March 1917 Admiral Benson was selected by the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, as the recipicnt of the Laetare medal for the year 1917, in recognition of his public services. This honor, which he was the first naval officer to receive, is regarded as one of the highest honors conferred upon laymen of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Shortly after the entry of the United States into the European War, Admiral Ben son acted as principal representative of the Navy at the important conference held at the Navy Department with Admirals Browning and Grasset, of the British and French navies. in November 1917 Admiral Benson accompanied the American mission headed by Colonel Ed ward M. House to represent the United States at the inter-Allied war conference in Paris.