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<em>William Benjamin Tuttle, Jr.,</em> was born 16 Jan 1921 in Camp Sherman, near Chillicothie, OH, the younger child of World War I and II veteran COL William B. Tuttle and Charlotte Mae Ricketson Tuttle. His older sister, Norma Mae Tuttle, was the wife of LTG William P. Yarborough ’36.</p>
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The period prior to his entering elemen­tary school, Bill spent in China with his parents and sister. Returning to the States in 1929, Bill’s elementary education was check­ered because of his father’s moving from post to post. In 1934 he attended Plattsburgh Elementary School, Plattsburgh, NY, followed by Immaculata High School, Leavenworth, KS, in 1936. His last three years were spent at Manlius High School, Manlius, NY. During 1939–41, Bill served in the Virginia Army National Guard, concurrently with attending Millard Preparatory School, 1939–40, and Sullivan’s, 1940–41, both in Washington, DC, and earned a congressional appointment to West Point from the State of Connecticut.</p>
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Bill served in Cadet Company B-2, and his classmates described him as having an “easy going manner and good humor that gained him many friends.” They added that “his struggles with the academic department have been continuous, but his ability to bear down when the situation demands has always brought him through.” Bill’s academic standing at first precluded him from obtaining assign­ment to his beloved Infantry branch. On 6 Jun 1944, as American troops landed on the Normandy beaches of Omaha and Utah, Bill gradu­ated from West Point as a sec­ond lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Corps.</p>
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Within days of graduation, Bill secured assignment to the Basic Infantry Officer Course at Ft. Benning, GA. Bill finished the Course on 18 September and three weeks lat­er had earned his jump wings. He was off to the 515th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 13th Airborne Division. With 16 of his class­mates, Bill sailed for Europe on the Queen Mary and was immediately shipped off to the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. Bill reached his unit in time to become a platoon leader commit­ted against German forces being pushed out of the Bulge. His unit pursued hostile forces across the Rhineland and into Germany until VE Day, 8 May 1945, during which time he earned a Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and three battle stars on his European Campaign decoration.</p>
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Following VE Day, Bill and his unit were ordered into Berlin along with the 82nd Airborne Division. He remained on duty in this divided city until the beginning of December 1945, when he was reassigned to the States. While in Berlin, Bill was assigned the special duty of providing an honor guard from his unit for a visit by GEN George S. Patton, Jr. Given leave before he had to report to his next station, Bill married Margaret “Peggie” Kersh of Tuscaloosa, AL, on 6 Dec 1944. She was to become his active and de­voted wife for the next 62 years, performing such functions as head of the Special Forces Mission Wives Club, where she comforted grieving families of MIA, KIA, and POW Special Forces Soldiers.</p>
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After his leave, Bill returned to Germany, where he was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. At the end of 1946, Bill was ordered to Ft. Bragg, NC serving the next four years in command and staff positions in the 504th Airborne Infantry Regiment. In 1952, Bill was reassigned to Korea, where he served with the 160th Infantry Regiment, adding a star to his Combat Infantryman Badge and a cluster to his Bronze Star. His missions in Korea included running patrols behind the Chinese Communist lines.</p>
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Following the Korean War, Bill became a member of the Army Field Forces Board No. 3 at Ft. Benning. It was there that his son Nicholas was born on 3 Jul 1955. Then, in 1956, Bill was assigned as a Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor at the Citadel, and daughter Louisa was born on 24 Jan 1959. Later in 1959, Bill was sent to Germany, where he first served as S-3 of the 1st Battle Group, 21st Infantry Regiment, then as deputy commander of the 1st Battle Group, 34th Infantry. In 1962, Bill was assigned as Director of MATA at the John F. Kennedy Center for Special Warfare. Later, he was deputy commander of the Special Forces Training Group, and finally commander of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).</p>
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In 1964, Bill was assigned to Viet Nam as Chief of Ground Forces Operations in J-3, Military Assistance Command-Viet Nam, after which he became the commander, Detachment C-4, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), confronting Communist insur­gents in the Mekong Delta. During this time, Bill earned a Legion of Merit and a second star to his Combat Infantryman Badge.</p>
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Bill’s last assignment in the Army was as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Presbyterian College. He retired from the Service in 1974 with the rank of colonel. He and Peggie set up their first retirement home in Greenville, SC. They then moved to North Litchfield Beach, SC, and finally settled in Lake Wylie, SC. In 2006, a dou­ble tragedy hit the Tuttle Family. The first was the passing of Peggie on 12 February, and, four months later, Bill passed away on 11 Jun 2006.</p>
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Bill was the classic American warrior, hav­ing fought in ground combat in three wars against the toughest of Nazi and Communist enemies. He fought as a parachute soldier in World War II, as an Infantry soldier in the Korean War, and as a Special Forces sol­dier in Viet Nam. In addition, Bill passed on his knowledge and experience through his teaching assignments at the Citadel and Presbyterian College. He has earned his posi­tion in the Long Gray Line with the utmost distinction and exemplifies West Point’s Motto, “Duty, Honor, Country,” with cour­age and bravery.</p>