William H. Sanders

Commander, Commanding Officer

With his baseball cap and pipe, no one could have looked more "Navy" than Bill.  He was, perhaps the best loved skipper to ever command a ship.

He was exacting, but compassionate, friendly; yet firm.  He did not tolerate excuses, but was quick to understand a reason. 

He enlisted in the Navy in 1925, entered the Naval Academy in 1926, and graduated in 1930.  In 1932, he met and married Betty.  They had three children: Billy, Nancy and Judy.

He was decorated for the action of 3 May 1945.

Not only did he bring his crew home, he kept them together with his annual Christmas Letter, correspondence, and phone calls.

"I felt particularly close to Captain Sanders. After I was back to civilian life, I was regularly in touch. The Sanders even became regular customers of the furniture store where I worked immediately following my discharge. I was often invited to dinner at their home when Billy and Nancy were just kids and before Judy came along. Bill and Betty made me feel like family. I came to know Betty’s father—formerly a professional baseball player, and also Bill’s parents who were really dear people. I could go on for paragraphs. Suffice to say, it was a genuine privilege to have known such special human beings." .

--W. Fowers