Captain
William H. Green, USN (Ret.),died of Pick’s disease on 27 December 2007 at Lake
City (FL) VAMC. He was 76 years old. The son of William and Betty Green, Bill
was born in Miami on 8 November 1931.
He
graduated from The Bullis School prepared to enter the Naval Academy in 1949,
but Portuguese got him Plebe Year. He dropped out to attend the University of
Florida in Gainesville, FL, where he met his future wife, Marianne Browning. He
was reappointed and graduated with the Class of 1956 and Bill and Marianne were
married on 9 June 1956.
Bill’s
first ship assignment was ROCKBRIDGE (APA-228).Other sea tours were as
executive officer aboard AGILE(MSO-421), commanding officer of ALBATROSS
(MSC-289) and operations officer aboard MACDONOUGH (DLG-8). He was an NROTC
instructor at Brown University, then served as training officer on the staff of
Commander, Mine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. After graduation from Armed Forces
Staff College in 1969, Bill commanded Mine Division 81, deploying regularly to
the Mediterranean. From 1970 to 1972, he served as Chief of the Navy Section,
U.S. MAAG in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, helping to build and train their navy,
earning the Legion of Merit for his work and enhancement of U.S.-Saudi
relations. His next duty as exec of the Minesweeper Reserve Training Squadron
in Long Beach was shortened by the Saudi request that Bill manage their
training and weapons acquisition contracts. That responsibility was expanded to
cover military advisory assistance in the Middle East during his seven years of
Pentagon duty. He completed his career as CO of NROTC Western Division,
retiring on 1 July 1986.
Bill’s
awards include the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal (second
award).In 1986, the Greens retired in San Diego ,CA, where Bill devoted his
time to antique auto restoration and golf, and he and Marianne were welcome and
active members of the class group there. After Bill was diagnosed with the
debilitating Pick’s disease in 1996, the Greens returned to Madison, FL, to be
near family while Bill increasingly required care. Bill is sadly missed by
Marianne; their son, Bill and his wife, Sarah; son, James; daughter, Beth
Tweddle and her husband, Chris; grandchildren, Morgan, Reilly, Jack, Clayton
and Annabelle; and Bill’s many friends and Classmates. A memorial service and
inurnment at the Naval Academy are being planned. Memorial donations may be
made to the Naval Academy Foundation. The Green Family