{{short description|Adjutant general of Utah, namesake of Camp Williams}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder | office = Adjutant General of Utah | term_start = 1916 | term_end = 1946 | governor = Simon Bamberger<br>Charles R. Mabey<br>George Dern<br>Henry H. Blood<br>Herbert B. Maw | birth_place = Pembrokeshire, Wales, U.K. | birth_date = December 27, 1872 | death_place = Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. | death_date = January 22, 1948 (aged 75) }}
'''William Grey Williams''' (December 27, 1872 – January 22, 1948) was a Brigadier General who served as Adjutant General of Utah for over thirty years, with military service spanning two World Wars. He is the namesake of Camp Williams, which he helped establish in the 1920s.
==Early life and education== Williams was born in 1872 in Pembrokeshire, Wales and emigrated to America as a young boy. He moved to Utah at age eleven.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=January 26, 1948 |title='Taps' for General Williams |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KzgpAAAAIBAJ&dq=William+Grey+Williams+%2B+Utah&pg=PA3&article_id=4990,3405826 |work=The Deseret News |pages=3}}</ref>
== Military service == Williams entered the Utah National Guard as a private in 1900 and later served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard. By 1904, he was promoted to Major.<ref>{{Cite web |title=William G. Williams {{!}} Utah National Guard |url=https://guard.utah.gov/?s=William%20G.%20Williams |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=guard.utah.gov}}</ref>
During World War I, he commanded units in England and France in 1917 and 1918.<ref name=":0" /> In 1916, he was selected as Adjutant General of Utah by Governor-elect Simon Bamberger, a role which he held until 1946, spanning five governors.<ref name=":0" />
In 1926, he was promoted to Colonel. During his tenure as a leader within the National Guard, he worked to establish a site as a permanent training location (now known as Camp Williams).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Frandsen |first=Eric |date=2024-06-07 |title=Utah National Guard hosting multiple ceremonies Saturday |url=https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/utah-national-guard-hosting-multiple-ceremonies-saturday/article_e36b32f6-24e5-11ef-8b92-23dc1ff55014.html |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Cache Valley Daily |language=en}}</ref> In 1931, he was promoted to Brigadier General in the Utah National Guard. In the 1930s, he was commanding officer of the 65th Field Artillery Brigade.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bswtAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22William+G..+Williams%22+%22Utah%22&pg=PA1125 |title=Official National Guard Register |date=1936 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |language=en}}</ref>
During World War II, Williams was Utah's Director of Selective Service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biography of Brigadier-General William Gray Williams (1872 – 1947), USA |url=https://generals.dk/general/Williams/William_Gray/USA.html |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=generals.dk}}</ref>
== Death == Williams died in 1948, aged 75.<ref name=":0" /> He is interred at Utah State Veterans Memorial Park.
== Awards and honors == In 1928, Camp Williams was named in honor of Brigadier General Williams. A bronze statue of Williams was unveiled in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dedication and unveiling of the Brigadier General William G. Williams statue {{!}} Utah National Guard |url=https://guard.utah.gov/news/press-media/brig-gen-william-g-williams-statue-is-unveiled-at-camp-williams/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=guard.utah.gov}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
==References== {{reflist|30em}}{{Portal bar|Biography|Utah|}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, William Grey}} Category:1872 births Category:1948 deaths Category:Military personnel from Pembrokeshire Category:Military personnel from Salt Lake City Category:Military personnel from Utah Category:United States Army officers Category:Adjutants general of the National Guard of the United States Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War