Yarborough, William Pelham, LTG

Deceased
 
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Last Rank
Lieutenant General
Last Service Branch
US
Last Primary MOS
1542-Infantry Unit Commander
Last MOS Group
Infantry
Primary Unit
1968-1969, 1542, I Corps
Service Years
1936 - 1971
US Special Forces
Lieutenant General
Ten Overseas Service Bars

 Last Photo   Personal Details 



Home State
Washington
Washington
Year of Birth
1912
 
This Military Service Page was created/owned by MAJ Mark E Cooper to remember Yarborough, William Pelham, LTG.

If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
 
Contact Info
Last Address
Southern Pines, NC
Date of Passing
Dec 06, 2005
 
Location of Interment
Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia

 Official Badges 




 Unofficial Badges 




 Military Associations and Other Affiliations
National Cemetery Administration (NCA)
  2005, National Cemetery Administration (NCA)


 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:

DESIGNER OF US JUMP WINGS, PARATROOPER BOOTS

Born in 1912 in Seattle, he graduated from West Point in 1936 and served in the military for 35 years. He held high-level posts in the Army’s airborne, special operations and intelligence branches.

Yarborough was made commander of the Army’s Special Warfare Center, now the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, at Ft. Bragg, N.C., in 1961 as the Vietnam War was increasing the demand for stealth combat skills. He retired in 1971.
In 1941, he designed the paratrooper boot and uniform, and the winged insignia given to qualified paratroopers, according to Yarborough’s official Army biography.
He led paratroopers into battle in North Africa, in Salerno and Anzio in Italy, and in southern France during World War II.
After the war, Yarborough was in charge of police activities in Vienna, where he organized patrols of U.S., Soviet, French and British troops.
As head of the Special Warfare Center in 1962, Yarborough tapped an old West Point classmate who was a military aide to Kennedy to press his case to allow the green beret to become part of the uniform of Army Special Forces soldiers.
Kennedy was visiting Ft. Bragg to see a demonstration of Special Forces units and said he wanted to see the troops in the berets.
Yarborough’s military service also is commemorated with a knife named after him and issued only to current or former Green Berets. Each knife bears a serial number registering its owner.

   
Other Comments:

The Story Behind the Green Beret:


The green beret was originally designated in 1953 by Special Forces Maj. Herbert Brucker, a veteran of the OSS. Later that year, 1st Lieutenant Roger Pezelle adopted it as the unofficial headgear for his A-team, Operational Detachment FA-32. They wore it whenever they went to the field for prolonged exercises. Soon it spread throughout all of Special Forces, although the Army refused to authorize its official use.

Finally, in 1961, President Kennedy planned to visit Fort Bragg. He sent word to the Special Warfare Center commander, Brigadier General William P. Yarborough, for all Special Forces soldiers to wear their berets for the event. President Kennedy felt that since they had a special mission, Special Forces should have something to set them apart from the rest. Even before the presidential request, however, the Department of Army had acquiesced and teletyped a message to the Center authorizing the beret as a part of the Special Forces uniform.

When President Kennedy came to Fort Bragg October 12, 1961, General Yarborough wore his green beret to greet the commander-in-chief. The president remarked, "Those are nice. How do you like the green beret?" General Yarborough replied: "They're fine, sir. We've wanted them a long time."

A message from President Kennedy to General Yarborough later that day stated, "My congratulations to you personally for your part in the presentation today ... The challenge of this old but new form of operations is a real one and I know that you and the members of your command will carry on for us and the free world in a manner which is both worthy and inspiring. I am sure that the green beret will be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead."

In an April 11, 1962, White House memorandum for the United States Army, President Kennedy showed his continued support for the Special Forces, calling the green beret "a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom."

To honor his memory, Special Forces soldiers pay their respects to late President Kennedy by laying a wreath and green beret on his tomb every November twenty-second, the date of his assassination.

   

   1968-1969, 1542, I Corps

Lieutenant General
From Month/Year
- / 1968
To Month/Year
- / 1969
Unit
I Corps Unit Page
Rank
Lieutenant General
MOS
1542-Infantry Unit Commander
Base, Fort or City
Not Specified
State/Country
Korea, South
 
 
 Patch
 I Corps Details

I Corps

America's First Corps is a three-star headquarters that manages daily activities for more than 44,000 Soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and across the Pacific including Hawaii and Alaska.

America's First Corps' job is to "Deploy, Fight and Win" decisively in any environment to enhance security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. While deployed, America's First Corps commands all branches of service - Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines - as well as international forces. 

America's First Corps possesses the capacity and capability to serve as a Joint Task Force, Joint Forces Land Component Command and Army Forces Headquarters: drive deployment readiness, shape the battlefield with deep fires, provide mission command to multiple divisions and enablers, leverage intelligence architecture, sustainment and maintain regional partnership. 

America's First Corps' major subordinate commands include: 7th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division (Schofield Barracks, HI) and U.S. Army Alaska.


Type
Combined Arms
 
Parent Unit
Army Corps Commands
Strength
Corps
Created/Owned By
Not Specified
   

Last Updated: Oct 12, 2008
   
   
Yearbook
 
My Photos For This Unit
No Available Photos
70 Members Also There at Same Time
I Corps

Dobrzyn, Ed, SGM, (1961-1991) SC 36C10 Staff Sergeant
Murphy, Timothy, SSG, (1969-1970) IN 11B40 Staff Sergeant
Barrows, George, SGT, (1967-1970) FA 13A10 Sergeant
Norris, Aaron, SGT, (1969-1972) EN 12B10 Sergeant
Witty, Ronald, SGT, (1968-1971) IN 11B40 Sergeant
Bull, William, SP 5, (1968-1971) FA 15B Specialist 5
Dorn, Gary, SP 5, (1967-1970) FA 82C20 Specialist 5
Geiogue, William, SP 5, (1967-1970) MI 97C Specialist 5
Johnson, James, SP 5, (1965-1969) MI 05G20 Specialist 5
Jones, Richard, SP 5, (1968-1974) AG 71L10 Specialist 5
Medlock, Craig, SP 5, (1968-1971) FA 82C20 Specialist 5
Sanchez, Ruben, SP 5, (1967-1970) IN 11F20 Specialist 5
Stephens, Thomas, SP 5, (1968-1970) AG 71B10 Specialist 5
Wolfe, William, SP 5, (1969-1971) AG 71B30 Specialist 5
Bell, Wallace, SP 4, (1966-1968) IN 11F10 Specialist 4
Johnson, David, SP 4, (1969-1970) EN 62M10 Specialist 4
Johnson, Travis, SP 4, (1968-1970) MP 95B10 Specialist 4
Massey, Dwayne, SP 4, (1968-1971) IN 112.60 Specialist 4
Sullivan, Michael, SP 4, (1966-1969) TC 64A10 Specialist 4
Wood, Paul, SP 4, (1969-1971) SC 05B10 Specialist 4
Casey, Matthew, PFC, (1968-1971) FA 13A10 Private First Class
Mason, James, 1SG, (1969-1994) FA 13A10 Private First Class
Ferguson, Joseph, SFC, (1968-1988) FA 13B30 Corporal
McCarthy, John, LTC, (1955-1979) Major
David, Arthur, SP 4, (1966-1968) CH Specialist 4
Genereux, Francis, PV2, (1969-1970) IN Private (E-2)
Yacker, Martin, 1LT, (1966-1969) First Lieutenant
Medlock, Craig, SP 5, (1968-1971) Specialist 5
29th Civil Affairs Company

THOMPSON, STEPHEN, 1LT, (1966-1969) IN 1542 First Lieutenant
Burnette, Freddie, CPT, (1965-1972) IN 11B Captain
Edmundson, George, COL, (1957-1990) IN 11A Captain
Musick, William, LTC, (1964-1997) IN 11A First Lieutenant
Badame, Philip, CPT, (1964-1968) EN 1221 Captain
Case, Kenneth, CPT, (1968-1971) MD 3100 Captain
Gustin, Joseph, CPT, (1968-1972) CA 8105 First Lieutenant
Stanton, George, 1LT, (1968-1970) EN 1331 First Lieutenant
Borowski, Bernard, MAJ, (1966-2007) CA 8104 Second Lieutenant
Gothard, Joseph, SSG, (1962-1968) AG 71L10 Staff Sergeant
Harrelson, John, SFC, (1955-1975) MP 95B10 Staff Sergeant
Schuler, John, SGT, (1966-1969) MP 95B40 Sergeant
Zegarski, John P, SGT, (1968-1971) MP 95B10 Sergeant
Speers, Wesley, SP 6, (1967-1970) MI 04B Specialist 6
Foley, Ken, SP 5, (1968-1970) CA 38A10 Specialist 5
SICE, PIERRE, SP 5, (1966-1968) OD 63C30 Specialist 5
Burgess, Charles, SP 4, (1968-1970) MD 91B20 Specialist 4
Kline, Robert, SP 4, (1968-1969) MP 95B20 Specialist 4
Loranger, Philip, SP 5, (1967-1970) TC 64A10 Specialist 4
Bivens, William M., CPT, (1967-1973) IN First Lieutenant
Norton, Robert, COL, (1966-1995) CA Colonel
Davis, Howland, 1LT, (1966-1968) EN First Lieutenant
Medlin, John, CPT, (1968-1972) CA First Lieutenant
Holloman, Daniel, 1SG, (1966-1993) CA Specialist 5
Rumph, Terry, SP 5, (1967-1975) CA Specialist 5
Carrico, Ted, SP 4, (1966-1969) CA Specialist 4
Jablonsky, Fred, SP 4, (1965-1968) Specialist 4
Emmet, Douglas, SFC, (1968-1992) Specialist 4
Sanders, Eugene, MAJ, (1968-1997) Specialist 4
G-1

Ogorman, James, SFC, (1967-1990) Private First Class
G-2

Wiegand, Richard, SP 5, (1966-1969) MI 96B10 Specialist 4

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