Gordon Beecher

Who was Gordon Beecher?

William Gordon Beecher, Jr. was an American composer, author and vice admiral. Many of his musical arrangements were done in cooperation with Johnny Noble.

Beecher was educated at the United States Naval Academy and at the National War College. He served 34 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a vice admiral in 1955. In World War II, Beecher commanded a destroyer squadron, and fought at Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He received the Legion of Merit.

Between 1933 and 1935, Beecher directed the USNA Musical Clubs and joined ASCAP in 1944. Known compositions, many of which he published under the pseudonym "Gordon Beecher", are "A Song of Old Hawaii", "Sing an American Song", "Counting On You", "All Pau Now", "Nimitz, Halsey and Me", "Just a Happy Kama'aina" and "The Ramparts We Watch".

Beecher died in 1973 and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.