William G. Bainbridge

For other people named William Bainbridge, see William Bainbridge (disambiguation).

William G. Bainbridge
SMA William G. Bainbridge
Nickname	Top
Born	April 17, 1925(1925-04-17) Galesburg, Illinois
Died	November 29, 2008(2008-11-29) (aged 83) Florida
Buried at	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1943-1979
Rank	Sergeant Major of the Army
Battles/wars	World War II Vietnam War
Awards	Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star Purple Heart (2) Air Medal Prisoner of War Medal Combat Infantryman Badge

William G. Bainbridge was the fifth Sergeant Major of the Army, was sworn in on July 1, 1975 and served until June, 1979. He was born in Galesburg, Illinois, on April 17, 1925 and died on November 29, 2008.

He entered the Army in June 1943 from Williamsfield, Illinois. He was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. Sergeant Major Bainbridge 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, late reorganized as the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry. In 1965 he accompanied the battalion to Vietnam. Midway through his tour in Vietnam, Sergeant Major Bainbridge was appointed Command Sergeant major of the II Field Force.

From September 1966 through August 1967 he was Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. 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 Sergeant Major 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.

Awards and decorations

|Combat Infantry Badge, 2 awards

	Army Distinguished Service Medal
	Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
	Bronze Star
	Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster
	Air Medal
	Army Commendation Ribbon with three oak leaf clusters
	Army Good Conduct Medal
	Prisoner of War Medal
	American Campaign Medal
	European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Medal
	World War II Victory Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with one service star
	Army of Occupation Medal
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars
	Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Military offices
Preceded by Leon L. Van Autreve	Sergeant Major of the Army 1975—1979	Succeeded by William A. Connelly

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document "[1]".
The Sergeants Major of the Army, Daniel K. Elder, Center of Military History, United States Army Washington, D.C. 2003.