| William W. Kennison | |
| Birth Date: | 28 February 1825 [1] |
| Birth Place: | Massachusetts, United States |
| Placeofburial: | Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Allegiance: | United States of America |
| Branch: | United States Navy |
| Serviceyears: | 1861–1868 |
| Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Battles: | American Civil War |
William W. Kennison (1825–1893)[1] was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.
Born in Massachusetts, Kennison was appointed Acting Master's Mate on 28 August 1861.[2] On 26 March 1862[3] he was promoted to Volunteer Lieutenant in recognition of his gallant conduct in the action between the and the during the Battle of Hampton Roads on 8 March 1862,[2] in which Kennison was in charge of the forward 10inches pivot gun.[4] He was subsequently appointed commander of the schooner in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1863,[5] capturing the schooner Champion off the Piankatank River, Virginia, on 2 July, and a large yawl off Horn Harbor, Virginia, with cargo including salt, on 10 October.[6] He later served aboard the steam gunboat, involved in operations off Charleston and Savannah in 1865.[7] Following the war, he was honorably discharged on 4 May 1866, but was reappointed Acting Master on 20 August 1866. His final muster out date was 16 November 1868.[2]
The destroyer (1918–1945) was named for him.[2]
. David Dixon Porter . The Naval History of the Civil War . New York . Sherman . 1886 .