Avenue of Heroes: William L. Calhoun

Prepared by: Rosalie Calhoun (daughter)

Admiral William L. Calhoun was born in Palatka, Florida, on July 13, 1884, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1906.

Calhoun was a member of Teddy Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet. He also trained in submarines, qualified as a submariner, and later commanded a submarine division. As a gunnery ofÏcer in the Battleship Navy, he distinguished himself as a champion in the field.

From 1937 to 1939, Calhoun served as the commanding officer of the battleship USS California (BB-44). From December 1939 to February 1942, he was the Commander of the Base Force, Pacific Fleet, and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. In February 1942, he was promoted to vice admiral and named Commander of the Service Force, Pacific Fleet.

Calhoun’s role as chief supply ofÏcer during World War II was pivotal in the South Pacific. His development of floating supply and refueling bases countered the Japanese “home court advantage.” James Michener, a young writer who served under Calhoun, wrote in his memoirs: “Those of us who worked for Uncle Billy believed that he had played a major role in smothering the Japanese with matériel, and the fighting admirals agreed.” Michener’s admiration for his CO was enhanced by the fact that he reminded him of another of his favorite studies, the great American Statesman, Senator, and Vice President, John C. Calhoun, who was Uncle Billy’s great-grandfather.

Calhoun later served as the Commander of the South Pacific Force. He retired on December 1, 1946, and on January 24, 1954, he was retroactively promoted to admiral. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz flew from Berkeley to Coronado to personally deliver the commission.

Near the end of the war, Calhoun met Rosie Oneschuk, a young Army nurse from Milford, Massachusetts, while in Noumea, New Caledonia. After the war, he and Rosie married on February 10, 1946, and settled in Coronado. Together, they had three children: Alexander, Rosalie, and Patrick. Calhoun also had two sons from a previous marriage. Admiral Calhoun died in October 1963 and is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego and is remembered for his leadership during pivotal moments in U.S. naval history and for his contributions to the victory in the Pacific.

The Avenue of Heroes military service recognition program is sponsored by the City of Coronado. Introduced in 2014, the program has honored 277 hometown heroes to date. On November 2, 2024, another 16 were honored. City staff and volunteers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2422, the Coronado Historical Association and Third and Fourth  Streets Neighborhood Association oversee its operation.

In 2011, the program was inspired spontaneously with the movement of two Navy SEALs to their final resting place. News spread quickly and the local Rotary Club passed out American flags. People lined Fourth Street to honor the fallen service members. As the procession approached the Coronado Bridge, a lone Navy SEAL stood at attention, saluting as he waited for the passage of his comrades. That moment made clear that Third and Fourth streets were already an Avenue of Heroes.

That spontaneous beginning launched the program in May 2015 with 18 banners. The Avenue of Heroes is a reminder that Coronado has a rich history and legacy of service to the country.