William Morgan French of Stanton, Powell Co., KY, FFA Chart #41

French Family Association

The Official Website of the Surname French

Military Heroes
With a Significant Award, Feat, or Service Record

ear Admiral William D. French

Last Updated by Mara French on 12/20/11

Rear Admiral William D. French 
U.S. Defense Representative 
Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 
Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau
  Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas  
Commander, Navy Region Marianas

A graduate of Vanderbilt University with a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Rear Admiral French was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program in May 1979. He earned a Master of Science Degree from Naval Postgraduate School in 1986 and a Master of Arts from the Naval War College in 1999.

A submarine officer and graduate of the Navy’s Nuclear Power Training, Rear Adm. French has served at sea in USS Spadefish (SSN 668), as Operations Officer in USS Sea Devil (SSN 664), and Engineer in USS Tecumseh (SSBN 628). He served as Executive Officer of USS Helena (SSN 725) and commanded USS Salt Lake City (SSN 716) home ported in San Diego, Calif.

Ashore, Rear Adm. French served as Submarine Officer Community Manager at the Bureau of Naval Personnel; as Deputy Commander of Submarine Squadron 11; as Chief of the Strategy and Policy Division at United States Strategic Command in Omaha, Neb.; as Director, Submarine Officer Distribution and Nuclear Propulsion Program Manager at the Bureau of Naval Personnel; and commanded Submarine Squadron 3 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. During his Squadron command tour, all six of the Squadron's submarines deployed, five of which conducted operations in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Rear Adm. French’s first Flag Officer assignment was serving as Commander, Navy Region Northwest from August 2005 until assuming his current Flag command in April 2007.

His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, three awards of the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

From the United States Navy Biography, http://www.NAVY.mil, the Official Website of the United States Navy.

William D. French is listed on FFA Chart #23 from Canada and Michigan, and belongs to DNA Test Group 4.