David S. Bill III
Encyclopedia
David S. Bill III is a retired Rear Admiral
in the United States Navy
.
. His father was a Captain in the Navy, his grandfather was U.S. Representative Winder R. Harris
.
in 1966. He would serve aboard the USS John King (DDG-3)
before being deployed to serve in the Vietnam War
.
Later, he was assigned to the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850)
and the USS Talbot (FFG-4)
before being assigned to the Caribbean
and attending the Royal Naval Staff College
in England
. He was then assigned to United States Naval Forces Europe
before being named Executive Officer of the USS Coontz (DDG-40)
.
From 1981 to 1983, he was stationed in Gaeta, Italy as Flag Secretary to the United States Sixth Fleet. In 1984, he was given command of the USS Mahan (DDG-42)
. Later, he became an instructor at Dam Neck and worked on the Aegis Combat System
as Executive Assistant to the Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command
. In 1988, he was assigned command of the USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)
.
During the Gulf War
, Bill commanded the USS Wisconsin (BB-64)
. While in command, on February 23, 1991, the Wisconsin launched an AAI RQ-2 Pioneer on a reconnaissance mission. Having previously seen the damage done by the USS Missouri (BB-63)
using information obtained after it launched a Pioneer to Failaka Island
, the Iraqi Armed Forces surrendered immediately before a shot was fired after realizing the Wisconsin's Pioneer had seen them. This marked the first time enemy troops surrendered to an unmanned aircraft controlled by a ship.
Awards he has received include the Legion of Merit
with award star
, the Bronze Star Medal
, the Purple Heart
, the Meritorious Service Medal
with award star, the Joint Service Commendation Medal
and the Combat Action Ribbon
.
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Biography
Bill is a native of Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. His father was a Captain in the Navy, his grandfather was U.S. Representative Winder R. Harris
Winder R. Harris
Winder Russell Harris was a U.S. Representative from Virginia.Born in Wake County , North Carolina, Harris attended the public schools and St...
.
Career
Bill graduated from the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1966. He would serve aboard the USS John King (DDG-3)
USS John King (DDG-3)
USS John King was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile armed destroyer in the United States Navy named for Medal of Honor recipient John King....
before being deployed to serve in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Later, he was assigned to the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850)
USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850)
USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. is a of the United States Navy.The ship was named after Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., a naval aviator, son of the former Ambassador to Britain, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., and older brother of future President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy would serve, with interruptions...
and the USS Talbot (FFG-4)
USS Talbot (FFG-4)
The USS Talbot was laid down on 4 May 1964 at Bath, Maine, by the Bath Iron Works Corp.; launched on 6 January 1966; sponsored by Miss Frances K. Talbot; and commissioned on 22 April 1967, Comdr. Edwin E. Woods, Jr., in command...
before being assigned to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and attending the Royal Naval Staff College
Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was then assigned to United States Naval Forces Europe
United States Naval Forces Europe
United States Naval Forces Europe is the United States Navy component of the United States European Command and provides forces for United States African Command....
before being named Executive Officer of the USS Coontz (DDG-40)
USS Coontz (DDG-40)
USS Coontz was a Farragut-class destroyer leader/frigate in the United States Navy. She was named after Admiral Robert Coontz, the US Navy's second chief of naval operations....
.
From 1981 to 1983, he was stationed in Gaeta, Italy as Flag Secretary to the United States Sixth Fleet. In 1984, he was given command of the USS Mahan (DDG-42)
USS Mahan (DDG-42)
USS Mahan , named for Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan USN , was a Farragut-class guided missile frigate laid down as DLG-11 by the San Francisco Naval Shipyard on July 31, 1957, launched on October 7, 1959 by Mrs. H. P. Smith, wife of Vice Adm. H. Page Smith, and commissioned on December 25, 1960...
. Later, he became an instructor at Dam Neck and worked on the Aegis Combat System
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
as Executive Assistant to the Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command
Naval Sea Systems Command
The Naval Sea Systems Command is the largest of the U.S. Navy's five "systems commands," or materiel organizations...
. In 1988, he was assigned command of the USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)
USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)
USS Mobile Bay is a Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. She is named for the naval Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War in 1864. She is currently on deployment to the Persian Gulf, providing support for the John C...
.
During the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Bill commanded the USS Wisconsin (BB-64)
USS Wisconsin (BB-64)
USS Wisconsin , "Wisky" or "WisKy", is an , the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin...
. While in command, on February 23, 1991, the Wisconsin launched an AAI RQ-2 Pioneer on a reconnaissance mission. Having previously seen the damage done by the USS Missouri (BB-63)
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
using information obtained after it launched a Pioneer to Failaka Island
Failaka Island
Failaka Island is an island that belongs to Kuwait in the Persian Gulf. The island is 20 km off the coast of Kuwait City in the Persian Gulf. The name 'Failaka' is thought to be derived from the ancient Greek φυλάκιο - fylakio "outpost"....
, the Iraqi Armed Forces surrendered immediately before a shot was fired after realizing the Wisconsin's Pioneer had seen them. This marked the first time enemy troops surrendered to an unmanned aircraft controlled by a ship.
Awards he has received include the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with award star
Award star
An award star is a decoration issued to personnel of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in lieu of multiple awards of the same award. An award star is very similar to an oak leaf cluster, which serves the same purpose in the United States Army and United States Air Force...
, the Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, the Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
with award star, the Joint Service Commendation Medal
Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...
and the Combat Action Ribbon
Combat Action Ribbon
The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
.