Birth name William Ross Bond Name William Bond | Years of service 1940–1970 | |
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Born December 4, 1918 ( 1918-12-04 ) Allegiance United States of America Battles/wars World War IIKorean WarVietnam War † Died April 1, 1970, Binh Thuy District, Vietnam Battles and wars | ||
Place of burial Stockbridge Cemetery | ||
William Ross "Billy" Bond (December 4, 1918 – April 1, 1970) was a United States Army brigadier general who was killed by an enemy sniper in 1970 while commanding the 199th Infantry Brigade in South Vietnam. General Bond also served in World War II with the Army Rangers and was a prisoner of war.
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Early life and education
William Ross "Billy" Bond was raised in Maryland and Virginia. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in political science and history. He was also a graduate of the Army War College and other senior service schools.
US Army career
General Bond enlisted in the Army in 1940. He participated in the Allied invasion of Sicily and later led his company in the Salerno landings in September 1943. On January 22, 1944, Bond's unit landed at Anzio. In a night attack at Cisterna, Bond was awarded the Silver Star, but was captured by the Germans and was held in a prisoner of war camp in Poland.
General Bond began his first tour in Vietnam in 1959 as a part of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group.
In 1966, he became Chief of Staff. In 1969 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
Personal life
General Bond married Theodora Sedgwick in 1960, a distant descendent of Union General John Sedgwick who was killed by a Confederate sharpshooter at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in 1864.
Death
On April 1, 1970, Brigadier General Bond was killed by a sniper's bullet shortly after landing in his command helicopter to oversee an operation 70 miles (110 km) northeast of Saigon.
His funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery, after which he was buried in Sedgwick Pie at the Stockbridge Cemetery in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.