William Leo Bennett, Jr.

WILLIAM L. BENNETT, JR. Captain, US Navy (Retired) William L. Bennett, Jr., 85 years old, a retired Navy Captain and decorated combat veteran of three wars, died of a heart ailment at Falcons Landing on November 27, 2006. He had lived in Falls Church, VA for 25 years prior to moving to Potomac Falls in 1996. Appointed from Maine to the U. S. Naval Academy, he graduated in 1943 with the class of 1944. During WWII, he served aboard the USS Baltimore, a Cruiser, in the Pacific, participating in the invasions of Tarawa, Marshall, Gilbert, Marianas and the Philippine Islands. He earned his Navy Wings in 1945 and flew helicopter rescue missions during the Korean War. After WWII and Korea his assignments included tours with ASW helicopter and fixed wing squadrons, Test Pilot School, Armed Forces Staff College, Staff assignments, Chief of Naval Operations Staff, Chief of Naval Material Staff, and as the Commanding Officer of two Combat Vessels, the USS Winston AKA-94 and USS Yorktown CVS-10, both with deployments to Vietnam. Captain Bennett’s decorations include: the Legion of Merit, two Navy Commendation Medals (one with the combat “V”), the Army Commendation Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the South Pacific ribbon with five stars, and other distinguished awards and honors. He retired from the Navy in 1972 and was employed as a project manager at ENSCO, Inc., as Director of Quality Assurance for AMTRAK, and the Vice President of Operations at Intertek Corporation. Since retirement he has been active in the “USS Yorktown Association and Foundation”, the “Early and Pioneer Naval Aviators Association”, usually referred to as the “Golden EAGLES”, and a member of Army Navy Country Club. Children of his first marriage to Mary Louise Short Bennett include Mary Christine Cooke, Susan Bennett Smith, William L. Bennett, III and Elizabeth Nancy Payne, deceased, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Surviving step-children from his marriage to Mary Louise Knapp Bennett, deceased, are Lucy Richardson, Mary Preston, John F. Knapp, Jr. and four grandchildren. He is survived by his current wife, Pat Ricketts King Bennett, one step-son, Paul S. King and two grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Friday, December 1, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. at the Falcon’s Landing Memorial Chapel, Potomac Falls, VA. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, January 26, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. at the Fort Myer – Old Post Chapel, Fort Myer, VA. Graveside services and interment will follow with full military honors for his rank, in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Capt. Bennett’s memory to USS Yorktown CV-10 Association, Inc. PO Box 1021, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464. Arrangements by Loudoun Funeral Chapels, Leesburg, VA.