William Dodge Sample (March 9, 1898 – October 2, 1945) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and an Escort Carrier Division commander in World War II.

His last duty before World War II was as supervisor of aviation training at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.

Assuming command of Santee on her commissioning, he was awarded a letter of commendation for service during Operation Torch; the invasion of North Africa.

In May 1944, he was transferred to serve as commanding officer of Hornet and in the ensuing months participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and a strike against the Volcano Islands.

During the Leyte invasion, Rear Admiral Sample "desired a better view of operations" and decided to hitch a ride in a torpedo bomber.

Later, in the state room Sample explained to Edinger that he could see the headlines in the paper, "Admiral lands upon carrier: shoots hole in deck".

[3] On October 2, 1945, shortly after the war ended, Sample was listed as missing after his Martin PBM Mariner aircraft failed to return from a familiarization flight near Wakayama, Japan.

Charles C. McDonald of Suwannee (CVE-27), and the seven members of the flight crew were discovered in the wreckage of the aircraft on November 19, 1948, recovered, and returned to the United States to be interred together at Arlington National Cemetery[5] He was married to Mary Lee Lamar of Pensacola, Florida.