Bill Carpenter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bill Carpenter | |
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| Date of birth: | November 30, 1937 |
| Place of birth: | Springfield, Pennsylvania |
| Career information | |
| Position(s): | TE |
| College: | United States Military Academy |
| College Football Hall of Fame | |
William S. Carpenter, Jr. (born November 30, 1937) was an American Army officer and college football player.
At West Point, Carpenter played as a tight end on the football team, alongside Heisman-winning halfback and fellow combat infantryman Pete Dawkins. Carpenter earned the nickname the "Lonesome End" as a result of the team's tactic of leaving him outside of huddles as a decoy. He played on the undefeated 1958 West Point team, and in 1959, while team captain, was named an All-American. Coach Earl Blaik, who spent twenty years on the Army coaching staff, called Carpenter "the greatest end I ever coached at West Point."
Upon graduation he was commissioned as an infantry officer and went on to serve at least two tours in Vietnam. In 1964, he was an advisor assigned to an Army of the Republic of Vietnam airborne brigade. That unit came under heavy fire immediately after being inserted by helicopter into a sugar cane field. Bill Carpenter was wounded by a gunshot through the arm while changing rifle magazines. His radio set was hit with another bullet, spinning him around and knocking him onto the ground. He proceeded to knock out a bunker, the source of the enemy fire, with a hand grenade. For his actions he was awarded the Silver Star, the US Army's third highest award for valor.[1]
In 1966, then Captain Carpenter's C Company, 2/502nd Parachute Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division was in danger of being overrun during a battle with North Vietnamese forces near Dak To on the Kontum plateau in the Central Highlands. He radioed for an airstrike with napalm on his own position. Several of his soldiers were wounded by the close air support, but it blunted the enemy attack and prevented the envelopment of his company. C Company was then able to reconsolidate and eventually break out. For his actions, he was again awarded the Silver Star, which was later upgraded to the US Army's second highest wartime medal, the Distinguished Service Cross.[2]
In 1984, Carpenter went on to take command of a light infantry division. He retired as a major general.[3]
In 1982, Carpenter was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
