Allegiance United States Name William Small | Rank Admiral | |
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Commands held Vice Chief of Naval OperationsU.S. Naval Forces EuropeAllied Forces Southern Europe Awards | ||
William Newell Small (February 22, 1927 – December 9, 2016) was an admiral in the United States Navy. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy in 1948, he was an accomplished Naval Aviator that served his country for over 40 years. Admiral Small served as Executive Officer of USS Forrestal(CV 59) and as Commanding officer of Fighter Attack Squadron Four Two (VA 42), Fighter Attack Squadron Six Five (VA 65), and USS Independence (CV 62). As a Flag Officer, he served as Commander Carrier Division Three, Pacific; Commander Sixth Fleet; Vice Chief of Naval Operations; and the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/NATO Allied Forces, Southern Europe. He was Vice Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) from 1981–1983 and Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe from 1983 to 1985.
He was a naval aviator who commanded Carrier Strike Group 3 from 1975 to 1976.
Arkansas Aviation Historical Society inducted Small into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1992. He died on December 9, 2016 at the age of 89.