Naval career William D. Puleston

puleston in 1927, second right (click enlarge)

puleston entered u.s. naval academy in 1898 , graduated in 1902. promoted ensign in 1904, promoted through ranks captain in 1926. served in various ships until 1912, when took command of destroyer uss drayton (dd-23).

in 1914-15, lieutenant, attended naval war college , stayed on additional year on staff in 1915-16, during time assisted college s president, rear admiral austin m. knight, in preparing first history of college.

at beginning of world war i, serving on staff of commander in chief of asiatic fleet , transferred duty executive officer of uss brooklyn (ca-3). in january 1918, ordered queenstown, ireland duty u.s. naval forces in europe. service in world war i, received navy cross heroism in convoy duty. citation read:

navy cross awarded commander william d. puleston, u.s. navy, distinguished service in line of profession commanding officer of u.s.s. stringham, u.s.s. sigourney , u.s.s. cushing, engaged in important, exacting , hazardous duty of patrolling waters infested enemy submarines , mines, in escorting , protecting vitally important convoys of troops , supplies through these waters, , in offensive , defensive action, vigorously , unremittingly prosecuted against forms of enemy naval activity.

after world war i, served in hydrographic bureau, assigned uss wyoming (bb-32), served assistant chief of staff in scouting fleet in 1924, served ashore in bureau of navigation, 1925–27, before returning sea in command of destroyer squadron eleven. assistant chief of staff in battle fleet in 1928-29, after attended army war college , served on faculty in 1929-32. after commanding transport uss chaumont (ap-5), went on command battleship uss mississippi (bb-41).

on 4 june 1934, puleston took post of director of naval intelligence. taking on @ time of shrinking budgets intelligence activities, puleston faced difficult situation. during three-year tenure, united states faced threats subversive radical groups within united states foreign agents. among prominent cases dealt cases of spies harry thompson, former u.s. navy sailor spied japan in 1934-35, , john semer farnsworth. @ same time initiated greater attention japan , china.

under puleston s period director, congress authorized expansion of staff in washington , established new attaché offices in 1936 @ rio de janeiro , lima, peru. offices @ berlin, germany, brussels, belgium, buenos aires, london, paris, peking, paris, , tokyo continued. in addition, laid plans new offices open in 1937 in santiago, chile , bogotá, columbia. in puleston s final oni estimate of situation 1939, issued before retirement in april 1937, called more counter-intelligence deal rapidly changing world political , military situation.