Subject: ALARACT 301/2008 -DEATH OF FORMER SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY
Originator: ALARACT RELEASE AUTHORITY(UC)
DTG: 171415Z Dec 08
Precedence: ROUTINE
DAC: General
To: AL ALARACT(UC), ALARACT
--------------------------------------------------
UNCLASSIFIED//
THIS MESSAE HAS BEEN SENT BY THE PENTAGON TELECOMMUNICATION CENTER ON BEHALF
OF DA WASHINGTON DC//CSA//
SUBJECT: DEATH OF FORMER SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY CASEY SENDS
1. IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET THAT THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY AND I INFORM YOU
OF THE DEATH OF SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY WILLILAM G. BAINBRIDGE, UNITED
STATES ARMY, RETIRED. HE PASSED AWAY ON 29 NOVEMBER 2008 IN ROCKLEDGE,
FLORIDA.
2. AS A MARK OF RESPECT TO THE MEMORY OF SERGEANT MAJOR WILLIAM G.
BAINBRIDGE, THE NATIONAL FLAG WILL BE FLOWN AT HALF-STAFF AT ALL
INSTALLATIONS, ACTIVITIES, AND VESSELS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY IN THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND ITS TERRITORIES
AND POSSESSIONS, FROM REVEILLE TO RETREAT ON THE DAY OF INTERMENT 28 JANUARY
2009.
3. SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE WAS BORN 17 APRIL 1925, IN GALESBURG,
ILLINOIS. HE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION DURING HIS 36 YEARS IN THE ARMY
CULMINATING WITH BEING SWORN IN ON 1 JULY 1975 AS THE 5TH SERGEANT MAJOR OF
THE ARMY, AND SERVING UNTIL HIS TERM ENDED IN JUNE 1979. AMONG THE MANY
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF HIS TERM AS SERGEANY MAJOR OF THE ARMY, SERGEANT MAJOR
BAINBRIDGE FELT MOST PROUDEST OF SECURING PERMANENT FUNDING FOR THE
NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER EDUCTION SYSTEM WE VALUE SO DEEPLY.
4. IN 1944 AFTER ATTENDING BASIC AND ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING, PRIVATE
FIRST CLASS BAINBRIDGE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 106TH INFANTRY DIVISION WHICH WAS
PREPARING TO DEPART FOR EUROPE. AFTER LANDING IN ENGLAND IN OCTOBER 1944
FOR A SHORT PERIOD, HE AND HIS DIVISION CROSSED THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO LE
HAVRE, FRANCE AND QUICKLY MOVED TO REPLACE THE 2D AND 28TH INFANTRY
DIVISIONS IN THE RUGGED SCHNEE EIFEL SECTOR OF GERMANY ON 11 DECEMBER 1944.
ON 16 DECEMBER 1944 THE 106TH BORE THE BRUNT OF THE GERMAN ARDENNES
OFFENSIVE. THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE SOLDIERS ASSIGNED TO THE DIVISION WAS 22
YEARS OLD. SERGEANT BAINBRIDGE LATER SAID "WE TRADED OUR LIVES AND SPACE
FOR TIME." THE 106TH STIFF RESISTANCE WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN UPSETTING THE
GERMAN TIMETABLE FOR REACHING THE MEUSE AND CUTTING OFF THE ALLIED ARMIES
FROM VITAL LOGISTICAL LIFELINES AT ANTWERP. IT WAS AT THIS TIME SERGEANT
BAINBRIDGE WAS CAPTURED AND HELD AS A PRISONER OF WAR UNTIL GOOD FRIDAY 30
MARCH 1945 WHEN STALAG 9A WAS LIBERATED BY THE 6TH ARMORED DIVISION. THE
WAR ENDED SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND SERGENAT BAINBRIDGE RETURNED TO THE UNITED
STATES. WHEN FIGHTING BROKE OUT IN KOREA IN 1950 STAFF SERGEANT BAINBRIDGE
WAS RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY. IN 1951 SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BAINBRIDGE
REQUESTED AND WAS GRANTED ENLISTMENT IN THE REGULAR ARMY. IN FEBRUARY OF
1963 HE RECEIVED HIS PERMANENT PROMOTION TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED GRADE OF
E-9 AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED 1ST BATTALION, 28TH INFANTRY.
SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE DEPLOYED WITH THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION TO VIETNAM
IN AUGUST IF 1965 AND WAS SELECTED AS THE SGM MAJOR FOR THE NEWLY CREATED 11
FIELD FORCE AT LONG BINH. IN 1966 SERGENAT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE BECAME THE
SERGEANT MAJOR FOR THE INFANTRY TRAINING CENTER AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA
WHERE HE DRASTICALLY REDUCED THE ASSIGNMENT OF TRAINEES TO POST DETAILS TO
FOCUS ON TRAINING. IN FEBRUARY 1968 THE COMMAND SERGEANTS MAJOR BOARD
SELECTED SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST COMMAND SERGEANTS
MAJOR IN THE ARMY. IN JANUARY OF 1969 HE BACAME THE SERGEANT MAJOR OF
UNITED STATES ARMY, PACIFIC. IN OCTOBER 1972 SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE
BECAME THE FIRST COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE NEWLY CREATED UNITED STATES
ARMY SERGEANTS MAJOR ACADEMY AT FORT BLISS, TEXAS. TWENTY YEARS LATER
SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE ASSERTED THAT "WORLD WAR II WAS WON IN THE PREWAR
CLASSROOMS AT THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE AND THE COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF
COLLEGE," ADDING THAT "THE CONFLICT IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAS WON BY THE NCO
EDUCATION SYSTEM. IN JULY 1975 ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL FREDERICK C. WEY
AND SELECTED SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE TO SERVE AS HIS SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE
ARMY. SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY BAINBRIDGE SERVED AS SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE
ARMY FOR FOUR YEARS AND RETIRED AS THE 5TH SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY IN ON
18 JUNE 1979.
5. SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE'S AWARDS INCLUDE THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
MEDAL, LEGION OF MERIT (WITH TWO OAK LEAF CLUSTERS), THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL,
PURPLE HEART (WITH ONE OAK LEAF CLUSTER), AIR MEDAL, ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
(WITH THREE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS), GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL (WITH TEN OAK LEAF
CLUSTERS), AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN
MEDAL, WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, ARMY OF
OCCUPATION MEDAL, ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL,
PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND THE COMBAT
INFANTRYMAN BADGE.
6. SURVIVING SERGEANT MAJOR BAINBRIDGE ARE HIS WIFE, HAZEL BAINBRIDGE AND
HIS DAUGHTERS, MARY MOORE AND KATHY KOOP.
7. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE AT 9 A.M. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2009, AT
THE FORT MYER POST CHAPEL FOLLOWED BY THE INTERMENT AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL
CEMETERY.
8. DECLAS OADR
GEORGE W. CASEY, JR., GEN, USA
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
