William G. Bainbridge
{{Short description|Fifth Sergeant Major of the United States Army}}
{{Other people|William Bainbridge}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = William G. Bainbridge
| image = William G Bainbridge.jpg
| image_size = 250
| alt =
| caption = Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge
| nickname = Top
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1925|4|17}}
| birth_place = Galesburg, Illinois
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|11|29|1925|4|17}}
| death_place = Florida
| placeofburial = Arlington National Cemetery
| allegiance = United States
| branch = United States Army
| serviceyears = 1943–1945
1951–1979
| rank = Sergeant Major of the Army
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = World War II
Vietnam War
| awards = Army Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (3)
Bronze Star Medal
Air Medal (2)
Army Commendation Medal (4)
Purple Heart (2)
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
William G. Bainbridge (April 17, 1925 – November 29, 2008) was a United States Army soldier who served as the fifth Sergeant Major of the Army.{{cite web | url=http://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/Former/sma_bio5.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514082748/http://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/Former/sma_bio5.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=May 14, 2009 | title=William G. Bainbridge 5th Sergeant Major of the Army | publisher=US Army | accessdate=May 16, 2014}} He was sworn in on July 1, 1975, and served until June 1979. He was the last World War II veteran to hold the position of Sergeant Major of the Army.
Early life
Military career
Bainbridge entered the United States Army in June 1943 from Williamsfield, Illinois.{{cite web | url=http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15040coll2/id/5893/rec/10 | title=NCO Briefing on 5th SMA William G. Bainbridge. | publisher=USASMA Digital Library | accessdate=May 16, 2014}} His first unit of assignment was with the 423d Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division, the last army division organized for service in World War II. After deploying into the Ardennes region of Belgium in late 1944, Bainbridge's regiment was overrun by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge. He was captured and spent the remaining months of the war in a German prisoner of war camp before being liberated by the 6th Armored Division.
Upon returning to the United States, Bainbridge left active duty and joined the Army Reserve. He was recalled to active duty in January 1951. Following assignments at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, Fort Sheridan, Illinois, Fort Riley, and Fort Leonard Wood, he was reassigned to Europe and served as the Operations Sergeant with Headquarters, VII Corps. In 1962 he returned to Fort Riley, Kansas, where he served with the 1st Infantry Division as sergeant major of the 1st Battle Group, 28th Infantry, later reorganized as the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry. In 1965 he accompanied the battalion to South Vietnam. Midway through his tour in Vietnam, Bainbridge was appointed command sergeant major of the II Field Force.
From September 1966 through August 1967, Bainbridge was command sergeant major of the United States Army Infantry Training Center, Fort Benning, Georgia. He then was appointed the command sergeant major of the First United States Army at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland and later selected to serve as command sergeant major of the United States Army, Pacific located in Fort Shafter, Hawaii. In October 1972, Bainbridge became the first command sergeant major of the newly created United States Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas and remained there until his appointment as Sergeant Major of the Army on 1 July 1975.
Later life
File:Flickr - The U.S. Army - Final playing of Taps for former Sergeant Major of Army.jpg (January 28, 2009)]]
In July 1991, Bainbridge retired to Palm Bay, Florida. He died there on November 29, 2008, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.{{cite web | url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wgbainbridge.htm | title=William G. Bainbridge Sergeant Major Of The Army, United States Army | accessdate=May 16, 2014}}
Awards and decorations
| 150px Combat Infantry Badge, 2 awards |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}11px
|Air Medal with award numeral 2 |
| {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Purple Heart ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Prisoner of War ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army Good Conduct ribbon 9.jpg|width=60}}
|Army Good Conduct Medal (9 awards) |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three service stars |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars |
| 60px |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|width=60}} |
- 9 Service stripes.
References
{{reflist}}
{{US Army|article=William G. Bainbridge|url=http://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/Former/sma_bio5.html}}
- The Sergeants Major of the Army, Daniel K. Elder, Center of Military History, United States Army Washington, D.C. 2003.
External links
- [http://www.ncohistory.com/files/InMemorium-Bainbridge.pdf] William G. Bainbridge, In Memoriam
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{{succession box |before = Leon L. Van Autreve |title = Sergeant Major of the Army |years = 1975–1979 |after = William A. Connelly}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bainbridge, William}}
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Category:American prisoners of war in World War II
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany
Category:People from Galesburg, Illinois
Category:People from Palm Bay, Florida
Category:Recipients of the Air Medal
Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery