William O. Wooldridge

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William O. Wooldridge
1922-
SMA William O. Wooldridge
Place of birth	Shawnee, Oklahoma
Years of service	1940-1972
Rank	Sergeant Major of the Army
Battles/wars	World War II Vietnam War
Awards	Silver Star (2) Combat Infantryman Badge

William O. Wooldridge was the first Sergeant Major of the Army.

[edit] Military career

William O. Wooldridge was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on August 12, 1922, but grew up in Texas. He joined the Army shortly before the outbreak of World War II. He served on active duty in the United States Army from 11 November 1940 to 31 January 1972. Wooldridge was sworn in as the first Sergeant Major of the Army on 11 July 1966 by Chief of Staff of the Army, General Harold K. Johnson. Wooldridge’s appointment was recorded in the Congressional Record of the 89th Congress Vol. 112, No. 110. He was 43 years old when appointed. His military career spans three wars and 14 campaigns during which he was twice decorated for gallantry in action.

Sergeant Major Wooldridge enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas on 13 November 1940. He served initially with Company F, 23rd Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. In December 1941 he was assigned in detached service to the British Forces in Iceland. In 1942 he was released from British detached service and assigned to Company K 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division when it arrived in England. He served with that division throughout World War II in all grades in an infantry rifle company from private to first sergeant.

As a private he was awarded the Silver Star for Gallantry in action at the battle for the fortress city of Aachen, Germany in October 1944. The Purple Heart was awarded for injuries received during this battle. On D-Day he landed at Normandy as a squad leader (sergeant). He was awarded a second Silver Star for Gallantry during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, while serving as a platoon sergeant.

He returned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas in May 1945. In October of that year he was assigned to the Pacific Theatre. After a brief tour at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii where he attended the 1st 3 Graders Course, Oahu Officer Troop and Staff School, he was assigned to Headquarters, Eighth United States Army, Japan as a member of the occupation forces.

In July 1948 he was assigned as Platoon Sergeant, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division at Bamberg, Germany. He was promoted to 1st Sergeant, Company K, 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division in 1950.

In May 1954 he returned to the United States as First Sergeant, Company G, 3rd Infantry, Fort McNair Washington, D.C. He rejoined the 1st Infantry Division as First Sergeant, Company D, 26th Infantry at Fort Riley, Kansas in December 1955 and was appointed Sergeant Major, 3rd Battalion, 26th Regiment on 20 December 1956. He departed Fort Riley as Sergeant Major of the 2nd Battle Group, 28th Infantry, for duty in Germany in December 1958 and became the 24th Infantry Division Sergeant Major in March of 1963.

He returned once again to the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley as Sergeant Major of the 1st Brigade in February 1965. In June 1965 he was selected by Division Commander, Major General Jonathan O. Seaman as the Division Sergeant Major. In July he deployed with the division’s advance party to Vietnam. He served as Division Sergeant Major until his selection as Sergeant Major of the Army in July 1966.

He served as Sergeant Major of the Army until September 1968. During that time he is credited with enhancing the status of the non-commissioned officers by convening the first Major Command Sergeants Major Conference and recommending the Noncommissioned Officer Candidate Course, the Sergeants Major Academy, the Command Sergeant Major program and a standardized NCO promotion process.

After serving as Sergeant Major of the Army he returned to Vietnam as Sergeant Major of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MAC-V). He is the only SMA to return to the field after serving as Sergeant Major of the Army.

In 1969, while Command Sergeant Major of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam, Wooldridge was accused, during a congressional inquiry, of fraud and corruption related to military club systems. The accusations resulted in Wooldridge being tried in the court of public opinion. In 1973 the Department of Justice and Wooldridge reached an agreement in which Wooldridge pleaded guilty to accepting stock equity from a corporation engaged in providing merchandise to the non commissioned officers' clubs in Vietnam. The government did not find any wrongdoing on his part while serving as the Sergeant Major of the Army. "Although the investigation tarnished the final years of Wooldridge's career, it could not diminish his heroic wartime exploits or his arduous labours on behalf of enlisted soldiers and non-commissioned officers as the first Sergeant Major of the Army."

Currently Sergeant Major (Retired) Wooldridge volunteers his time at the United States Army’s Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas in classroom visits and discussions with noncommissioned officers. He provides a historical prospective on many military issues.