Willis A. Lee, Jr. was born in Natlee, Kentucky, on 11 May 1888. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1908. Over the next two decades, he served in several ships and on shore duty as an inspector of ordnance, while also representing the Navy in rifle competitions. He was Commanding Officer of three destroyers during the 1920s and attended the Naval War College late in that decade.
During the 1930s and early 1940s, Lee was several times assigned to the Fleet Training Division, commanded the light cruiser Concord, and served on the staff of Commander, Cruisers, Battle Force. In early 1942, following his promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral, Lee became Assistant Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet.
In August 1942, Rear Admiral Lee was sent to the Pacific to command a Battleship Division. Flying his flag in USS Washington (BB-56), he was active through the Guadalcanal Campaign and led his force to victory over a Japanese surface group in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on the night of 14-15 November 1942. He was later promoted and placed in charge of the Pacific Fleet's fast battleships. In May 1945, he was sent to the Atlantic to command a special unit researching defenses against the Kamikaze threat. While serving in that position on 25 August 1945, Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee died suddenly after suffering a heart attack.
This page features images of Willis A. Lee, Jr.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 48284 Captain Willis A. Lee, Jr., USN Photographed during the later 1930s or early 1940s. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 64KB; 540 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 95009 Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr., USN Portrait photograph, taken circa 1942. From RAdm. Samuel Eliot Morison photographic files. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 64KB; 600 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-159187 Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr., USN, Commander Battleship Division Six Pencil sketch portrait by Commander Dwight Shepler, USNR, December 1942. The original sketch is part of the U.S. Navy Art Collection. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 115KB; 580 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 48283 Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr., USN Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken on board USS Washington (BB-56), circa 1942-43. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 69KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-322412 Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr., USN, Commander Battleship Squadron Two On board USS South Dakota (BB-57), circa 1945. This photograph was received by the Navy Photographic Science Laboratory on 24 May 1945. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 67KB; 590 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 93286 Rear Admiral Harold R. Stark, USN, Commander, Cruisers, Battle Force, and Commander, Cruiser Division Nine (seated, center) Photographed with commanders of his Cruiser Divisions and ships, probably on board USS Honolulu (CL-48), circa 1939. Those present are identified in Photo # NH 93286 (complete caption). Collection of Admiral Harold R. Stark. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-37031 Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr., USN (center) Is presented with the Navy Cross by Admiral William F. Halsey, during ceremonies on board a U.S. Navy warship in the South Pacific, circa January 1943. RAdm. Lee received the decoration in recognition of his achievements during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 14-15 November 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 115KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 49705 Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr. (listed from left to right) Photographed on board USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in February 1945. The original photograph has been autographed by Admiral Spruance and Fleet Admiral Nimitz. Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 625 pixels |
![]() |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 5 April 2000
New image added and text slightly modified 17 May 2002