William Gordon Beecher, Jr. (January 19, 1904, Baltimore, Maryland – December 7, 1973) was an American composer, author and vice admiral. Many of his musical arrangements were done in cooperation with Johnny Noble. Beecher was educated at the United States Naval Academy and at the National War College. He served 34 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a vice admiral in 1955. In World War II, Beecher commanded a destroyer squadron, and fought at Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He received the Legion of Merit. Beecher died in 1973 and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.