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Bradley, Willis W

LC control no.n 94046697
Descriptive conventionsrda
Personal name headingBradley, Willis W.
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Associated countryUnited States
Birth date18840628
Death date19540827
Place of birthRansomville (N.Y.)
Place of deathSanta Barbara (Calif.)
AffiliationUnited States Department of the Navy
Profession or occupationNaval officer
Found inA guide to the photographs at MARC ... c1982: p. v (Governor Willis W. Bradley; gov. of Guam, 1929-1931)
Willis Winter Bradley Jr. (June 28, 1884 - August 27, 1954) was a Naval officer, a recipient of the Medal of Honor and a U.S. Representative from California. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy on September 12, 1906 and went to sea in USS Virginia (BB-13). After two years at sea as a passed midshipman, he received his commission as an ensign on September 13, 1908. Successively, Bradley served in USS Culgoa (AF-3) from the fall of 1908 to October 1910, helped to fit out and commission USS Perkins (DD-26) (Torpedo Boat Destroyer No. 26), and served in her until March 1911. While serving on the USS Culgoa, which was sent to aid survivors of the terrible 1908 Messina earthquake, he worked tirelessly to rescue survivors and clear bodies and debris from the scene. For his work, he later received a medal from the Pope. From then until September 1912, he saw duty, first in the transport USS Hancock and then in USS South Carolina. Next, he commanded USS Biddle (TB-26) (Torpedo Boat No. 26) and the Reserve Torpedo Group at Annapolis, Md. Bradley returned to Keyport in May 1922 for two years of duty at the Naval Torpedo Station as the Naval Inspector in Charge. From July 1924 to November 1926, he commanded USS Gold Star (AK-12), the station ship at Guam in the Mariana Islands. Between late 1926 and the middle of 1929, Bradley served in the Naval Reserve Section in the Bureau of Navigation. Following that tour of duty, he became Governor of Guam in June 1929. As Governor, he issued Guam's first Bill of Rights, sought United States citizenship for the Chamorros and proclaimed them to be citizens of Guam, and reorganized the Guam Congress. He also made possible the first free elections of village commissioners. He was considered a Progressive Republican and civil libertarian. Bradley was elected as a Republican to the Eightieth Congress (January 3, 1947 - January 3, 1949). He served as assistant to the president of the Pacific Coast Steamship Co. from 1949 to 1952. He served as member of the California State Assembly from 1952 until his death. Bradley died in Santa Barbara, California, August 27, 1954. He was interred in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California. The USS Bradley (FF-1041), was named in his honor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willis_W._Bradley
Associated languageeng