William Rhode Merz^[1] (born March 10, 1963)^[2][3] is a retired United States Navy vice admiral who last served as deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy from August 6, 2021 to October 7, 2022.^[4][5] He previously served as commander of U. S. Seventh Fleet from 2019 to 2021.^[6][7]

Merz's aboard assignments include USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19),^[8] "Submarine Group Seven" and Task Force 74. As a flag officer, he was assigned to commands at naval mine destroyer ships and anti-submarine warfare command. Later, he was appointed to Task Force 77 stationed at San Diego and TF-54 in Bahrain.

Bill Merz was born in San Diego, California. In 1986, he graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ocean Engineering. He later earned Master's Degrees from The Catholic University of America and the Naval War College. VADM Merz also completed the MIT seminar XXI program and the University of Virginia "Strategic Thinking" program.^[9]

VADM Merz served as a director during his ashore flag officer assignments, including Naval Undersea Warfare Center for a ballistic missile submarine program (OPNAV N97). Later, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for warfare systems (DCNO OPNAV N9). His submarine design research assignments includes commanding officer of the U.S. naval reactors, chief of staff for the Submarine Force Commander. As a submariner, Merz was assigned to USS Haddo in San Diego, USS Proteus in Guam, and USS Boise in Norfolk. After serving aboard, he was assigned to command the deep-submergence vehicle NR-1, Los Angeles-class submarine USS Memphis and a submarine squadron.^[10]