University of Virginia Library

Battle Announces
Campaign Effort
For Governorship

By Ralph Noyes.

William C. Battle, former United
States Ambassador to Australia,
today announced his candidacy for
Governor of Virginia. Following in
the footsteps of his father,
Governor John S. Battle, elected 20
years ago, he will enter the fray of
the Democratic primary next year.

"I believe I can bring to this
office an effective bridge between
the past, from which we have
derived so much, and the future,
which in turn will demand so much
from us," Mr. Battle said in his
statement in the State Capitol in
Richmond.

Mr. Battle said he was running
to offer leadership "unhampered
by commitment to antiquated
policies and slogans, free of pressing
political debts and obligations,
embodying an independence that
will permit us to proceed with one
goal and one goal only, that which
is best for Virginia."

Months of expectation ended as
the Charlottesville lawyer became
the third candidate to announce for
the July primary. Mr. Battle, two
weeks short of his 48th birthday,
described Virginia as in the midst of
rapid change which has created new
problems that demand solution. He
stressed metropolitan area growth,
proper development of rural areas,
public education and mental health.

Mr. Battle stressed that he
would not campaign until after the
November election, noting that
ample time would remain for a full
discussion of state problems before
July.

He said he had originally
planned to make the announcement
of his candidacy after the
November election, "but two other
candidates have already made their
intentions known and there has
been much speculation as to what I
would do. It would serve no
purpose to withhold this
announcement any longer."

In announcing his first campaign
for elective office, Mr. Battle was
accompanied by his wife, the
former Barry Webb of Martinsville,
while the couple's three children
remained in school in
Charlottesville.

Mr. Battle worked in his father's
1949 gubernatorial campaign, and
directed the Virginia phase of
Senator John F. Kennedy's
campaign for president in 1960.
More recently, he managed State
Senator William Spong's successful
primary campaign that led to Sen
Spong's election to the U.S. Senate
in 1966.

He met the late President
Kennedy while both men were
serving as PT boat commanders in
the Pacific during World War II. Mr.
Battle was awarded the Silver Star
for gallantry in the Solomon Islands
campaign during which he
commanded one of the two PT
boats that rescued Kennedy and his
crew from an enemy-held island
eight days after the sinking of PT
109.

Mr. Battle served as Ambassador
to Australia for the usual two-year
term from June, 1962, to August,
1964, successfully completing a
number of varied treaty
negotiations. Sir Howard Beale,
former Australian Ambassador to
the United States, commented,
"Bill Battle is the most successful
and most popular American
Ambassador ever sent from this
country to Australia."

Gubernatorial candidate Battle
will speak Tuesday to the
Extra-Legal Forum at 4 p.m. in the
Law School Lounge. Later he will
attend a dinner at Newcomb Hall
that any interested party may
attend.

William C. Battle

Former Ambassador Announces Try For Governorship