John Mylin "Dutch" Will
Admiral, U.S. Navy

John Mylin Will was born on 15 September 1899 in Perth Amboy, NJ, to Otto William and Jennie Franklin Dally Will. He was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1923.

Although Will had a 40-year Navy career; very few details are available.

He attained the rank of Vice Admiral on 17 April 1956. Upon his retirement in July 1959, he was advanced in rank to four-star Admiral. *

* The Act of Congress of 4 March 1925, allowed Navy officers to be promoted one grade upon retirement if they had been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. These promotions were colloquially known as "tombstone promotions" because they conferred the prestige of the higher rank but not the additional retirement pay, so their only practical benefit was to allow recipients to engrave a loftier title on their business cards and tombstones. An Act of Congress on 23 February 1942, enabled tombstone promotions to three- and four-star grades.

In Retirement

After retiring from the Navy, he served as president of American Export Lines for a number of years.

Death

Admiral John Mylin "Dutch" Will died on 5 May 1981 at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC; he was 81 years old. Will was a resident of New York City and had a home in Deerfield Valley, VA.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise Ley Will, who died on 31 March 1968. Their burial locations are unknown.