Vice Admiral William Wohlsen Behrens Jr. (September 14, 1922 – January 21, 1986) was an American naval officer and oceanographer who was instrumental in establishing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Behrens graduated from the Submarine School, New London, Connecticut, in 1943, and was assigned to the Sand Lance (SS-381) as gunnery officer, for two war patrols, and was awarded Presidential Unit Citation.

Behrens was then the project officer for the navy's first underwater telephone (UQC-1) for voice communications between ships and submerged submarines.

From 1958 to December 1960, he was assigned to Construction and Commissioning, Command of the Skipjack (SSN-585), the first modern submarine [1] (designed from the keel up with improved marine nuclear reactor, fast attack, whale shaped, sail diving planes, high test steel, true submersible).

From January 1961 to March 1961 he was at the Guided Missile School, Dam Neck, Virginia in the Polaris Command Course.

In this capacity, he served in 28 Vietnam amphibious operations, including the longest (Tet 1968) and the largest (January 1969) with both army division and air force support flights.

He received the Legion of Merit (his 3rd award) with Combat V, the Bronze Star with Army Oak Leaf Cluster (second award), and was three times decorated by Vietnamese government with the Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, and Gallantry Cross.

In September 1970 he was Oceanographer of the Navy, with collateral duty as Federal Coordinator for Ocean Mapping and Prediction.

During August 1973, he received medical retirement with 100 percent disability and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the permanent rank of vice admiral, United States Navy.

From 1974 to 1975 he worked at J. Watson Noah Associates, Inc., Falls Church, Virginia, as a corporate vice president; from 1975 to 1976 at Wheeler Industries, Washington, D.C., as a science advisor.