William Tudor Gardiner (June 12, 1892 – August 3, 1953) was an American politician and the 55th Governor of Maine.

While assigned as Intelligence Officer of the 51st Troop Carrier Wing in North Africa, he joined Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor, artillery commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, on a clandestine mission behind Axis lines in Italy on September 7–8, 1943.

Meeting with Italian prime minister Marshal Pietro Badoglio and General Giacomo Carboni, the pair had been sent to assess the chances of success of an airborne operation to seize two airfields near Rome in advance of the Allied invasion of Italy at Salerno, and the credibility of Italian assurances of cooperation.

Their son, Tudor (a lawyer), was married to Tenley Albright, a distinguished figure skater, and later a surgeon.

He, along with state Senator Edward E. Chase and South Portland grocer Edwin S. Burt were flying home from a 56th Pioneer Infantry Association reunion in Shamokin, Pennsylvania when the Beechcraft Bonanza they were flying in exploded, crashing in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania.