William C. Rogers III
Will C. Rogers III | |
|---|---|
Captain Will C. Rogers III speaking at the end of Vincennes 1988 deployment. | |
| Nickname(s) | Will |
| Born | December 13, 1938 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1965–1991 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | USS Cushing (DD-985) USS Vincennes (CG-49) Navy Tactical Training Group Point Loma |
| Battles / wars | Operation Earnest Will |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Navy Commendation Medal Combat Action Ribbon Navy Expeditionary Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
William Chapel Rogers III (born December 13, 1938) is a former officer in the United States Navy, most notable as the captain of USS Vincennes, a Ticonderoga-class Aegis cruiser. While under his command, the ship shot down Iran Air Flight 655 in the Persian Gulf, killing 290 civilians and creating an international incident.