WILLIAM G. EATON, CDR, USN

William Eaton '21

Date of birth: April 12, 1900

Date of death: August 9, 1942

Age: 42

Lucky Bag

From the 1921 Lucky Bag:

William Guy Eaton

Duluth, Minnesota

"Bill" "Lash-Brownie" "Wilyum"

"NOW when I was sailing the Great Lakes on the good ship Gopher I used to—" and then Bill will unfold a yarn which would make any old salt green with envy. Bill can tell many a good story about splicing the main brace, rounding the horns, and about his wild experiences in port.

He is one of the lucky mortals who never gets rhino and blue when things go wrong. However it does take an exception to make the rule and sometimes when that letter, pink and scented, from the Duluth girl doesn't arrive on time he does get a little dejected.

Ever since he has been in the Navy he has liked it and unlike many of us isn't adverse to telling that he likes it and intends to stay.

Like a true sailor Bill loves the women and the women seem to like Bill. Those eyes and eye lashes have raised havoc with many a girl.

Bill hasn't gone in much for athletics except of course those of the Mexican variety, and to be sure is a charter member of the old Radiator Club.

He is a great pal, always cheery and ready to help out in any way, and should make a good officer in this man's Navy.

Buzzard.

The Class of 1921 was the last of the wartime-accelerated classes. "1921A" was graduated on June 3, 1920; the second half, "1921B", was graduated on June 2, 1921. William was graduated with 1921A.

William Guy Eaton

Duluth, Minnesota

"Bill" "Lash-Brownie" "Wilyum"

"NOW when I was sailing the Great Lakes on the good ship Gopher I used to—" and then Bill will unfold a yarn which would make any old salt green with envy. Bill can tell many a good story about splicing the main brace, rounding the horns, and about his wild experiences in port.

He is one of the lucky mortals who never gets rhino and blue when things go wrong. However it does take an exception to make the rule and sometimes when that letter, pink and scented, from the Duluth girl doesn't arrive on time he does get a little dejected.

Ever since he has been in the Navy he has liked it and unlike many of us isn't adverse to telling that he likes it and intends to stay.

Like a true sailor Bill loves the women and the women seem to like Bill. Those eyes and eye lashes have raised havoc with many a girl.

Bill hasn't gone in much for athletics except of course those of the Mexican variety, and to be sure is a charter member of the old Radiator Club.

He is a great pal, always cheery and ready to help out in any way, and should make a good officer in this man's Navy.

Buzzard.

The Class of 1921 was the last of the wartime-accelerated classes. "1921A" was graduated on June 3, 1920; the second half, "1921B", was graduated on June 2, 1921. William was graduated with 1921A.

Loss

William was lost when USS Astoria (CA 34) was sunk during the Battle of Savo Island on August 9, 1942. He was the ship's navigator.

His wife was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by a son, William Jr (USNA 1945).

Memorial Hall Error

William was promoted to Commander on July 12, 1942. Memorial Hall has LCDR.

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.

January 1921

Ensign, USS Florida

Others at this command: ENS Paul Register '21.

January 1922

Ensign, USS Dupont

May 1923

Ensign, USS Mercy

July 1923

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island

Others at this command: ENS Edward Curtis, Jr. '22 and ENS William Engeman, Jr. '22.

September 1923

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island

Others at this command: ENS William Engeman, Jr. '22 and ENS Joyce Ralph '23.

November 1923

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island

Others at this command: ENS Edward Curtis, Jr. '22 and ENS William Engeman, Jr. '22.

January 1924

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hatfield

March 1924

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hatfield

May 1924

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hatfield

July 1924

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hatfield

September 1924

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hatfield

November 1924

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

January 1925

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

March 1925

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

May 1925

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

Others at this command: ENS Charles Callaway '24.

July 1925

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

Others at this command: ENS Charles Callaway '24.

October 1925

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

Others at this command: ENS Charles Callaway '24.

January 1926

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

Others at this command: ENS Charles Callaway '24.

October 1926

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

January 1927

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Nitro

April 1927

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

October 1927

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Earl Olsen '26.

January 1928

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Earl Olsen '26.

April 1928

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Earl Olsen '26.

July 1928

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

October 1928

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

Others at this command: LT Van Moore '19.

January 1929

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

Others at this command: LT Van Moore '19.

April 1929

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

Others at this command: LT Van Moore '19.

July 1929

Lieutenant, USS Luzon

October 1929

Lieutenant, USS Luzon

January 1930

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Luzon

April 1930

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Luzon

October 1930

Lieutenant, USS Hart

Others at this command: LTjg Harold Pound '25.

January 1931

Lieutenant, USS Pope

April 1931

Lieutenant, USS Pope

July 1931

Lieutenant, USS Pope

Others at this command: LTjg Douglas Fox '26.