John Greenslade

Who was John Greenslade?

John Wills Greenslade was a Vice Admiral in the United States Navy. Admiral Greenslade enjoyed a significant military career during World War II. From 1941-1944 Greenslade was Commandant, Twelfth Naval District, with additional duty as Commandant, Pacific Southern Naval Coastal Frontier. On January 8, 1942, while he was serving at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Greenslade urged that American-born and alien Japanese be excluded from areas of strategic importance. On April 17, 1942, the Navy seized Treasure Island, San Francisco, California from the City of San Francisco under the direction of Vice Admiral Greenslade, and paid no compensation for the confiscated island. Admiral Greenslade claimed Treasure Island was required for "national security" and appropriated the island for the Navy.

An Annapolis graduate with the class of 1898, Vice Admiral John W. Greenslade, USN was a veteran of the Spanish- American War, the Philippine Insurrection, the Cuban Pacification Campaign, and both World Wars. In World War I, then Captain Greenslade received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his work during mine laying operations in the North Sea. He held a couple different commands throughout World War II, first as Commandant, Twelfth Naval District, and later as the Commander, Western Sea Frontier. Vice Admiral Greenslade was very instrumental to the development and wartime growth of Treasure Island.