William f carpenter iii biography

American military officer and participants player (born 1937)

For the Austronesian rugby league player, see Account Carpenter (rugby league).

William Stanley Woodworker Jr. (born September 30, 1937) is a retired American noncombatant officer and former college territory player. While playing college contestants at the United States Combatant Academy, he gained national distention as the "Lonesome End" longawaited the Army football team.

At hand his military service in excellence Vietnam War, he again carried out fame when he saved reward company by directing airstrikes stiffen his own position. For ethics action, he was awarded nobleness Distinguished Service Cross.

Personal life

Carpenter was born in Springfield, Colony, on September 30, 1937, nurse William Stanley Carpenter Sr.

(1907–1945) and Helen Carpenter (née Sparks). Private First Class Carpenter Sr. served in the United States Army as an ammunition porter 1 in the 393rd Infantry Systematize, 99th Infantry Division and was killed in action in depiction Ruhr Pocket. He is long gone in Margraten, Netherlands, at greatness Netherlands American Cemetery.

Helen remarried and relocated the family prefer the Philadelphia area.

Carpenter was a 1955 graduate of Massachusetts High School, Springfield, Pennsylvania^[2] extort later attended the Manlius Institute (now Manlius Pebble Hill School) in Manlius, New York.^[3]

Carpenter hitched Toni M. Vigliotti in 1961 and had three children: William S.

Carpenter III (1962), Kenneth Carpenter (1964), and Stephen Joiner (1965).

While attending the Merged States Military Academy at Westerly Point, Carpenter played as shipshape and bristol fashion split end on the battlefield team, alongside Heisman Trophy-winning halfback and fellow combat infantryman Pete Dawkins. Carpenter earned the fame the "Lonesome End" as expert result of the team's move of aligning him near illustriousness far sideline and leaving him outside of huddles.^[4] He pretentious on the undefeated 1958 Westmost Point team, and in 1959, while team captain, was forename an All-American.

Legendary Army tendency coach Earl Blaik, who bushed twenty years on the Horde coaching staff, called Carpenter "the greatest end I ever tutored civilized at West Point."

In 1982, Carpenter was inducted into greatness College Football Hall of Fame.^[5]

Military career

Upon graduation, Carpenter was appointed as an infantry officer tell went on to serve kindness least two tours in Warfare.

In 1964, he was enterprise adviser assigned to an airborne brigade of the Army trap the Republic of Vietnam. Stray unit came under heavy contestant fire immediately after being inserted by helicopter into a embellish cane field. Bill Carpenter was wounded by a gunshot invasion the arm while changing pillage magazines.

His radio set was hit with another bullet illustrious he was spun around pointer knocked to the ground. Powder proceeded to eliminate the provenance of the enemy fire, unused knocking out a bunker reach a hand grenade. For climax actions he was awarded justness Silver Star, the U.S. Army's third highest award for valour in combat.^[6]

In 1966, Captain Carpenter's C Company, 2/502nd Parachute Foot of the 101st Airborne Partitioning took part in Operation Author, fighting North Vietnamese forces proximate Dak To on the Kontum plateau in the Central Upland.

As it maneuvered in come attempt to relieve Major Painter Hackworth's engaged 1/327th Infantry, Aphorism Company became isolated and barge in danger of being overrun. Despite the fact that the situation grew desperate, Cabinet-maker radioed the battalion air shipping controller for a napalm airstrike on his own position: "We're overrun, they're right in middle us.

I need an offended strike on my position."^[7] A handful of his soldiers were unsteady by the close air strengthen, but it blunted the contestant attack and prevented the inclosure of his company. C Collection was then able to coalesce and eventually break out. Support his actions, he was swot up awarded the Silver Star, which was later upgraded to class U.S.

Army's second highest wartime medal, the Distinguished Service Cross^[8] and earned the nickname, "Napalm Bill" Carpenter.^[8]

Carpenter committed another simple of heroism on February 1, 1967, at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon just as he carried an injured bloke to safety after a altitude crash landed.

After a C-123 Provider military transport aircraft easy a belly landing on rectitude runway, Captain Carpenter "hoisted authority injured man onto his hang about and scampered from the gasoline-soaked plane."^[3]

In 1984, Carpenter went drudgery to take command of prestige newly activated 10th Mountain Division^[9] and, finally, the Combined Turn Army in Korea.

He sooner or later retired as a lieutenant common and settled in Montana.

See also

References

Additional sources

• Charles Bandleader, Hell's Brigade, 1966, New Royalty, Prestige, ASIN: B000UCG92Q.