William Shepherd Benson was an admiral in the United States Navy and the first chief of naval operations (CNO), holding the post throughout World War I.
Admiral William S. Benson, c. 1916
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the highest-ranking officer of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. The CNO is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and in this capacity, a military adviser to the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, the secretary of defense, and the president.
Chief of Naval Operations
Michael Mullen, CNO in December 2006, with some of his predecessors: Vern Clark, James D. Watkins, Thomas B. Hayward, and Jay L. Johnson
William Sims
Rear Admiral Charles Johnston Badger with Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske, c. 1914