Gordon Beecher

William Gordon Beecher, Jr. (January 19, 1904 in Baltimore, Maryland – December 7, 1973) was an American composer, author and vice admiral. Many of his musical arrangements were done in cooperation with Johnny Noble.

This article is about the Vice Admiral of the United States Navy. For the military correspondent to the New York Times, see William M. Beecher.
Gordon Beecher
Birth nameWilliam Gordon Beecher Jr.
Born(1904-01-19)January 19, 1904
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died(1973-12-07)December 7, 1973
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Place of Burial
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1921–1955
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands heldDirector, USNA Musical Clubs, 1933-1935
Commanding officer USS Pruitt (DM-22), then a minesweeper, 31 May 1940 through 2 December 1941
Commander of the Middle East Force in 1954
Chief of Naval Information in 1954-1955
Battles/warsWorld War II
Pearl Harbor
Iwo Jima
Okinawa
AwardsLegion of Merit

Military career

Beecher was educated at the United States Naval Academy and at the National War College. He served 34 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a vice admiral in 1955. In World War II, Beecher commanded a destroyer squadron, and fought at Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He received the Legion of Merit.[1]

Creative work

Between 1933 and 1935, Beecher directed the USNA Musical Clubs and joined the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 1944. He composed around 700 songs. Known compositions, many of which he published under the pseudonym "Gordon Beecher", are "A Song of Old Hawaii", "Sing an American Song", "Counting On You", "All Pau Now", "Nimitz, Halsey and Me", "Just a Happy Kama'aina" and "The Ramparts We Watch". He served as technical advisor for the movie Shipmates Forever produced by Warner Brothers.[1]

Beecher died in 1973 and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Awards
  • Legion of Merit
  • Commendation Ribbon awarded by the Secretary of the Navy
  • Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal
  • American Defense Service Medal
  • Fleet Clasp
  • Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four engagement stars
  • American Campaign Medal
  • World War II Victory Medal
  • Navy Occupation Service Medal
  • Asia Clasp
  • National Defense Service Medal[1]

References
  1. Naval History and Heritage Command: William Gordon Beecher, Jr.
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