William A. Glassford

William A. Glassford
Born	(1886-06-06)6 June 1886 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	30 July 1958(1958-07-30) (aged 72) San Diego, California, U.S.
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Navy
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands	U.S. Naval Forces Germany
Battles / wars	World War I World War II Dutch East Indies Campaign Naval Battle of Balikpapan
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal (2)

William Alexander Glassford (6 June 1886 – 30 July 1958) was a United States Navy officer with the rank of vice admiral, who is most noted for his service during World War II.

Early naval career

William Alexander Glassford was born on 6 June 1886, in San Francisco, California. His father William A. Glassford (1853–1931) was a career Army officer who retired as a colonel. His brother, Pelham D. Glassford, was an Army officer who attained the rank of brigadier general. Glassford attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and graduated on February 12, 1906. He was given the rank of Passed midshipman and ordered for sea duty aboard destroyer USS Preble (DD-12). He spent next two years at sea, as was required by law at the time, then received his commission as an ensign.

World War II

Glassford with Frank P Lockhart, Clarence E. Gauss and RJ McMullen in Shanghai 1941

Glassford commanded naval forces of the United States Asiatic Fleet during the first month of World War II, and then relocated to Java in the Netherlands East Indies to combine his forces with the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command ("ABDA"). His most notable battle was the Naval Battle of Balikpapan, in which he led a U.S. task force in an attack against Japanese forces that had occupied the port of Balikpapan on Borneo. When Glassford's flagships, the light cruisers USS Boise (CL-47) and USS Marblehead (CL-12), were disabled, he ordered his supporting destroyers to continue with the mission under Commander Paul H. Talbot. The attack came too late to prevent the capture of Balikpapan, and had little effect on the Japanese campaign to capture the resources of the Netherlands East Indies.

After the campaign, Glassford returned to the United States where he held a variety of positions in the 6th Naval District and the Eighth Fleet.

Glassford died on 30 July 1958 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Decorations

Vice Admiral William A. Glassford's ribbon bar:

1st Row	Navy Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Star
2nd Row	Mexican Service Medal			World War I Victory Medal with Destroyer Clasp		American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp
3rd Row	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one service star			American Campaign Medal			European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two service stars
4th Row	World War II Victory Medal			Honorary Companion of the Order of the Bath (United Kingdom)			Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy (Italy)
5th Row	Papal Lateran Cross			Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords			Commander of the Order of the Star of Africa (Liberia)

References

• U.S. Navy Combat Narrative, The Java Sea Campaign.
• Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II, Appendix I