Dates of Rank: Ensign - 31 Jan 1907; Lieutenant - 31 Jan 1910; Lieutenant Commander - 29 Aug 1916; Commander - 3 June 1921; Captain - 7 Sept 1927; Rear Admiral - 20 June 1938; Naval Aide to the President from 7 Sept 1937 to 20 June 1938. Commissioned Judge Advocate General with rank of Rear Admiral, from 20 June 1938. Woodson was the first Judge Advocate General of the Navy to hold a law degree. All subsequent Judge Advocate Generals of the Navy have held them. Woodson "graduated with distinction from
George Washington University Law School in 1914 while assigned to duty in the Office of the Judge Advocate General." then as commanding officer of the 6th Division, 1916, and commanding officer, Battleships and Battleship Force, 1917. He served as Assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy in 1921, and again from 1931 to 1934. "Adm. Woodson’s last active billet was judge advocate general, which followed duty as aide to the late President Roosevelt. He had been assistant to the judge advocate general, had served as chief of staff of the
Asiatic Squadron and commanded the
Houston, at the time it carried President Roosevelt to Hawaii." Woodson served as Judge Advocate General of the Navy from 1938 to 1943, retiring for physical disability. He and his wife relocated to
Coronado, California, after his retirement. His health continued to fail until his death in 1948. He was a member of the Military Order of World War, and of the United States Naval Academy Graduates Association. ==Death==