WILLIAM FRANCIS RABORN, JR. DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00901R000600220001-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 13, 2005
• Sequence Number: 1
• Content Type: BIO

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WILLIAM FRANCIS RABORN, JR.
Director of Central Intelligence
Vice Admiral William Francis Raborn, Jr., United States Navy
(Retired), was selected Director of Central Intelligence by President
Johnson, according to an announcement made 11 April 1965. The Senate
confirmed his nomination 11 days later, and he was sworn in on 28 April.
He is the third Naval officer to be Director of Central Intelligence.
He is recognized as a scientist, a proved administrator, a
skilled organizer, a command Naval officer who has been a combat aviator,
and the developer of the Navyts Polaris missile and fleet ballistic missile
system.
Admiral Raborn was born in Decatur, Texas, 8 June 1905. He attended
public schools in Ryan and Marlow, Oklahoma. In 1924 he was appointed
to the U.S. Naval Academy by Senator Ftmer ^;.~omas of Oklahoma. He gradu-
ated from the Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy 7 June 1928.
Following graduation, he performed gunnery duty aboard the USS Texas
and the destroyers Twiggs and Dickerson until June 1933. He was assigned
to flight training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, and
was designated Naval Aviator in April of the following year.
In June 1934 he was assigned to Fighting Squadron 5 aboard the
carrier Lexington. He continued in this type. of duty assignment in other
naval fighter squadrons until June 1937, when he returned to the Naval
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Air Station at Pensacola to serve as an instructor. He then returned
to duty with naval fighter units. In August 19+2, he reported to the
Free Gunnery School, U.S. Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, as
Officer in Charge where he initiated, developed, and organized the
Aviation Free Gunnery School.
From March 1g~+3 to the Fall of 194+, he was assigned to the Office
of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air and served there as head
of Aviation Gunnery Training. He then joined the USS Hancock as Execu-
tive Officer. The Hancock c~Crried out operations against enemy Japanese
forces in the Philippine Islands, the South China Sea, Iwo Jima, and the
Japanese Homeland.
His subsequent naval assignments, beginning in June 1945, were:
Chief of Staff to Commander Task Force 38 and Commander Carrier Division
Two. in the Western Pacific; Operations Officer on the staff of the
Commander, Fleet Air, with headquarters in San Diega, California; and the
Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, Washington, D.C., where he was
responsible for the development of guided missiles and aviation ordnance.
In July 1950, he assumed command of the USS Bairoko, which conducted
training in anti.-submarine warfare in waters off Japan, Okinawa, and
Formosa.
He attended the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, in 1951
and 1952. In July 1952, he was designated Assistant Director of the Guided
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Missiles Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department.
He continued in this assignment until he assumed command of the USS
Bennington in April 1954. He then served as Assistant Chief of Staff
for Operations on the staff of the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic
Fleet from February 1955 until December 1955 when he reported as Director
of Special Projects, Department of the Navy.
As Director of Special Projects he was charged with the-task of
developing a fleet ballistic missile system -- the Polaris. He .established
the Special Projects Office, Department of the Navy, and created a manage-
went system, implementing a new management tool -- the Progress evaluation
Reporting Technique. This system has been adopted extensively in many
areas of American industry.
The operational readiness of the fleet ballistic missile system was
established by two underwater launchings of Polaris missiles on 20 July
1960. On ~ March 1962, he became Deputy Chief of Naval Operations
(Development), Navy Department. Admiral Rsborn was retired from the
Navy on 1 September 1963.
At the time of his nomination to the position of Director of Central
Intelligence, Admiral Raborn was Vice President for Program-Management
at the Aero,jet-General Corporation.
Admiral Raborn has received the following awards: Distinguished
Service Medal, the Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with Silver
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Star, the Commendation Ribbon with Bronze Star, the Navy Unit Commenda-
tion Ribbon, the Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal,
the Asiatic-Pacific Medal with one Silver Star and ane Bronze Star
(6 engagements), the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense
Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service
Medal, and the Philippine Defense Ribbon. .President Kennedy presented
Admiral Raborn with the Collier Trophy Award in 1963.
Admiral Raborn is married to the former Mildred T. Terrill of Bay-
town, Texas. He has two children, Mrs. Barbara Raborn Richardson and
William Francis Raborn, III.
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'V''ICE AT)MIRAL WILI,.IAM FRANCIS RA~3~RN, ,T~R.. E3`.3. N. tRetired}
William Francis Reborn, Jr., was barn in I3ecatur, Texas,
e+n Jun+~ 8, 1905, the aQn of Willia.zn Francis Rabvrn, 3r. , and Cornerlia
Mcaore Rabt~rn. H+~ attelncte~d 1aublic achactls fx~ Rya.n and ivfa~rlc~w,
C)~1a.homa. In 1~t24 he was a.ppra~.nted t? the t3. ~. Naval Ac~adearny by
Se:raator Elmer Thommas d~ Jklahorx~,a. He: graduated frQxn the Nava.1
Academy ar~d was commissionessl an EnsLgrt in the I~Ts.vy Qn June 7, 1928.
Aeimra Reborn is xnarrfed tai the: forxnetr Mildred "~'. Terrill
c~i Bs.ytc~wn, Texaa-. He has twca children, Mrs..~arbara Reborn
Richardson and William Francfs Rabc~rn, III.
Fallowing hts graduatc9n fxorn the Naval Acact~my, inn 1928,
hie performs:d gunnery duty aboard the t75S TE~.AS ar~d the destroyers
T WdGGS s.nd I3ICK~RSCN until dune l9~ 3. Ike wa,e as signead to flight
tratng at the Navs.1 Air Station in Pe:nse.cgla, Florida. Het vas
designated Naval Aviatoz on April l6, 1g34. In 3un~s of that y$ar, he:
~,
was assl,;gned to Fighting Squadron ~ aboard the carrier ~XINGTC?N.
He ctu:-tinucd.n this type of ditty araignrnent in c~her naval fighter
squadrons txnt3l 1437. In June l$37, he returned to then Naval Afr Station
apt P,~nsacals. where he served as an inetrueto:r. Het then returned to
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duty with naval fighter units. August 194, he reportetd to the Free
hc~l, U. Naval A9z ~tatic~n, ESaneohe day, Hawaii, as
~ffic+sx in charge where he initiated, devs~+aped end tsarganfaed the
~tion Fare+~ Ga~nneary s+ch+Cxt71.
Farr~m li~iazch 1943 to the Fall ref 1944, he was sae#gnad to the
C3ffice rsf the T3aputy-Chief of Navel C~peacations foar .Afr and saarved there
affi head s~f l~viatian G~xxsz:c~ry Tx~-ining. i-ie then joined the USA
H~.NCt~CK a.s ~a!~ecutive C~fticeac, The I-lt~NC4CK caxa:ied +~t a;aeratiQns
ags.inst enea^ny Japanes,~ forc~ss in th+~ Philippine Iaiancls, the ~e~th
C3aatna Sc~a, lwr~ Jima at~d tho 9sgarees+a Hcur~elsnd. His subsequent
naval assigx~marxte wears as: Chief tsf Staff to Ctarxxa:r~andear ~'aslc Farce 38
and Ca:xaznandear Cazzieex I7ivlsi~n Two ix~ the 'W``estea:n Pacfl:c; C~p~saraticans
4ffi~-ear vn the staff ~f the Gcxmmander Fleet Air, with haadquaa~tea~s in
sxx I3iegn, +Calif+~rnia; anct the Bureau +af Qrdnance, Navy- Llepaztxnent,
W~shing'ton, I7. C. fn ~u1y 19~D, he assuxaae~d cc~aa~xr~and of the USS
HAIR#~K4, which conducted trainin
xi-r~uhmazlne waarfare in waters
Off xapan, C7aawa and ~`aarmosa.
He attended the Naval Wear G~lle+g~a, Newpt~zt, Rhoda Island in
1951 and 1952. In July 195, he wse designated Assistsx~t ~3iawectoz cif
the Guided: Missiles Division, Office ~+# the Chi~af of I~ave-l C~psratians,
Nart-y T3epaartrnent. He continued in this aealgnmant until he ae~~aume#
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ee~rnmsnd of the USS ~3ENN~NCsTE3N ~ ,April 195. H'e then serves+cl as
As~istsnt Chief +~ Staff fr~r C}perations ~ the staff flf the Cc~mrnm~nder
in Chief of the iJ, S. Atlantic Fleet frt~rrt February 3955 until Heccrnber
1955 vPrhen hee reported ae nireactQr oaf Specte,l Prr~jecte, 33epartment cif
the Navy. in that a.ss#~nm~ent, he was char,~ed with the task crf d,eve3opin$
a F3eet Ballistic Missile System,. He established the Sctal Projects
C}lfice, I3epartrnent ~ the Navy, and cxeated a xxxanagem+ent a
implementing ~- new management tool--the ~ragrese Evalua~tican
Reporting Teahni~;ue, This system. has been adapted e~tensivey in
many areas of Arnexican industxy. Tha cporational readine~es of the
Fleet ~al3istic Missile System was ~sstablieh~zd by twee underwater
3aunchings of PC).LARIS rn4ssilos on July 20, 19611. Chi March 9, 1962,
he became L3eputy Chief of Naval C?pexationa~ ~I3evalcsprnenty, Navy.
17epartment. .Admiral R.aborn was retired. fr?y!nx the Navy vn 3 S+~pternb~er
396
.At the tunes of hie nominatian t~s th~+ postiem. a~f L~irectc~r of
C~entra3 Intelligent?, Admiral Rabdrn was Vice President far Prograrn-
Ivianag~ement at the Aaraj+et Gexxera3 Corporation, He resided et
315 lv3adeline .Drive, Pasadena, California, He is a Mason and a
mexs~ber of the Balstist Church,
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.Admiral R.mbvr~s hae~ been the re~igie~.t of the fcllvrovin~ aw~rda:
T3ietin~aished: Service Medal, the Silver Star ilrteda~:, the BrtmaGe Stan
Medal with Silvear Star, the C+~mmea~dation Ribbon with Bxtm.ze Stay.
the Navy CTxtit Carnmenciatc~nn Ribbon, t3~e I)ef+~nse S~xvice Medal, the
AnzerGZUa. Campaign Medal, the As$atic.~Paci?ic Medal with ane Sflver
Star ar~ci tine Hron~ae Star ~6 enga.gexx~ent~~, th+~ ''W'eld mar ~I Victory
Medal, the Y~T,ational I3e#enaes Service 1Vtedal, the ~?rean 3e~viee Medal,
the United N'atione Services Ivledai a.nd the Philip~:ne ~e#enee Ribbcm.
Preenident k~ennedy presented Admiral Rabc~xn with the Cvlle~r Trophy
Awsxd in 1463.
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VICE ADMIRAL WILLIAM! FRANCIS RABORN9 JRm UaSoN~o Retired)
William Francis Raborn, Jrn, was born in Deca-
tur, Texas, on June 8, 1945, the son. of William
Francis Raborn, Sro, and Cornelia Moore Raborna He
attended public schools in Ryan and Marlow, Oklahoma.
In 1924 he was appointed to the U'o'So Naval Academy
by Senator Elmer Thomas of Oklahoman. He graduated
from t:he Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign
in the Navy on June 7, 19280
Admiral Raborn is married to the former Mildred
Te Ter:rill of Baytown, Texaco He has two children,
Mirs> Barbara Raborn Richardson and William Francis
Raborn, IIIe
Following his graduation from the Naval Academy:
in 1928, he performed gunnery duty aboard the USS
TEXAS and the destroyers TWIGGS and DICKERSON until
June 19330 He was assigned to flight training at
the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, He
was designated Naval Aviator on April 16, 19340
In June of 1934 he was assigned to Fighting
Squadron 5 aboard the carrier LEXINGTON~e, He con-
tinued in this type of duty assignment in other na-
val fighter squadrons until 19370 In June 1937, h?
returned to the Naval Air Station at Pensacola where
he served as an instructorm He then returned to
duty with naval fighter unitsa In August 1942, he
reported to the Free Gunnery Schools UoSa Naval Air
Station, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, as Officer ,in Charge
where he initiated, developed and organized the Avi-
ation Free Gunnery Schoole
From March 1943 to the Fall of 1944, he was
assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval
Operations for Air and served there as head of Avi-
ation Gunnery Tra$ningm He then joined the USS
HANCOCK as Executive Officero The HANCOCK carried
out operations against enemy Japanese forces"in the
Philippine Islands9 the South China Sea, Iwo Jima,
and the Japanese Homelando
His subsequent naval assignments were aso Chief
of Staff to Commander Task Force 38 and Commander
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Carrier Division Two in the Western Facific; Oper-
ations Officer on the staff of the Commander, Fleet
Air, with headquarters in San Diego, California;
and the Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, Wash-
ington, D.C., where he was responsible for the de-
velopment of guided missiles and aviation ordnance.
In July 1950, he assumed command of the USS BAYROKO,
which conducted training in antisubmarine warfare
in waters off Japan, Okinawa, and Formosa.
He attended the Naval War College, Newport,
Rhode Islandyin 1951 and 1952. In July 1952, he
was designated Assistant Director of the Guided
Missiles Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Op-
erations, Navy Department. He continued in this
assignment until he assumed command of the USS
BENNINGTON in April 1954. He then served as As-
sistant Chief of Staff for Operations on the staff
of the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic
Fleet from February 1955 until December 1955 when
he reported as Director of Special Projects, De-
partment of the Navy.
As Director of Special Projects he was charged
with the task of developing a Fleet Ballistic Mis-
sile System. He established the Special Frojects
Office, Department of the Navy, and created a man-
agement system, implementing a new management tool--
the Progress Evaluation Reporting Technique. This
system has been adopted extensively in many areas
of American industry.
The operational readiness of the Fleet Bal-
listic Missile System was established by two under-
water launchings of POLARIS missiles on July 20,
1960. On March 9, 1962, he became Deputy Chief of
Naval Operations (Development), Navy Department.
Admiral Raborn was retired from the Navy on 1 Sep-
tember 1963.
At the time of his nomination to the position
of Director of Central Intelligence, Admiral Raborn
was Vice President for Program-Management at the
Aerojet General Corporation. He resided at 31.5
Madeline Drive, Pasadena, California. He is a Mason
and a member of the Baptist Church.,
Admiral Raborn has been the recipient of the
fallowing awards: Distinguished Service Medal, the
Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with Silver
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Star, the Commendation Ribbon with Bronze Star, the
Navy TJnit Commendation .Ribbon,. the Defense Service
Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-
Pacific Medal with one Silver Star and one Bronze
Star (6 engagements), the World War II Victory Medal,
the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Serv-
ice :Medal, the United .Nations Service Medal. and the
Philippine Defense Ribbon, President Kennedy pre-
sented Admiral Raborn with the Collier Trophy Award
in 1963.
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