Vietnam1965
Active Member
- Sep 26, 2021
- 362
Colonel William F. Saunders Jr. was born March 22, 1926, in Watertown, son of William F. and Anna Laura Garlock Saunders, he attended local schools and graduated from Carson Long Military Academy, New Bloomfield, Pa. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on his 17th birthday in 1943, and served as a non-commission officer in the south and central Pacific with the Third Marine Amphibious Corps, taking part in the Marianas Campaign and the recapture of Guam. He returned to the United States in 1945 for officer training.
Commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in February 1949 upon graduation from Cornell University, Ithaca, he served with the Second Marine Division and on sea duty until 1953 when he joined the First Marine Division in Korea where he was a rifle company commander and anti- tank company commander with the 7th Marine Regiment. He was then assigned as an instructor at the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., where he received a master's degree. Subsequent assignments included director of the Marine Corps State Department Security Guard School at headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., was a student and instructor at the Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, Va., a member of the Amphibious Warfare Presentation Team and Counter-Guerilla Warfare School, Fort Bragg, N.C.
In March 1963, the then-Maj. Saunders was ordered to the Military Assistance Command in Saigon, Vietnam, for 13 months. Re-assigned to the First Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif., he returned to Vietnam in 1965 as executive officer of the Second Battalion, First Marines (BLT 2/1). Tours of duty at Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., were followed by his third Vietnam tour where he again served with the First Marine Regiment until he was promoted to colonel and assigned as commanding officer, Special Landing Force Alfa.
Col. Saunders was then stationed at Quantico, Va., and at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, where was professor of naval science and commanding officer of the Naval ROTC unit. In 1975 he was transferred to Camp Pendleton where he served as commanding officer, Military Police Battalion and Base Provost Marshal until his retirement after 35 years of service, retiring on June 30, 1978. Among his awards are the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Philippine Legion of Honor and Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal.
Marriages to Barbara Genung and Diane DuBois ended in divorce. He married Carter Lee Billingsley in 1978. She died in 1991.
Since his retirement he has spent summers at his home on Tripoli Shores.
He enjoyed studying about the Civil War and was an avid collector of Civil War weapons.
Commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in February 1949 upon graduation from Cornell University, Ithaca, he served with the Second Marine Division and on sea duty until 1953 when he joined the First Marine Division in Korea where he was a rifle company commander and anti- tank company commander with the 7th Marine Regiment. He was then assigned as an instructor at the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., where he received a master's degree. Subsequent assignments included director of the Marine Corps State Department Security Guard School at headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., was a student and instructor at the Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, Va., a member of the Amphibious Warfare Presentation Team and Counter-Guerilla Warfare School, Fort Bragg, N.C.
In March 1963, the then-Maj. Saunders was ordered to the Military Assistance Command in Saigon, Vietnam, for 13 months. Re-assigned to the First Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif., he returned to Vietnam in 1965 as executive officer of the Second Battalion, First Marines (BLT 2/1). Tours of duty at Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., were followed by his third Vietnam tour where he again served with the First Marine Regiment until he was promoted to colonel and assigned as commanding officer, Special Landing Force Alfa.
Col. Saunders was then stationed at Quantico, Va., and at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, where was professor of naval science and commanding officer of the Naval ROTC unit. In 1975 he was transferred to Camp Pendleton where he served as commanding officer, Military Police Battalion and Base Provost Marshal until his retirement after 35 years of service, retiring on June 30, 1978. Among his awards are the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Philippine Legion of Honor and Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal.
Marriages to Barbara Genung and Diane DuBois ended in divorce. He married Carter Lee Billingsley in 1978. She died in 1991.
Since his retirement he has spent summers at his home on Tripoli Shores.
He enjoyed studying about the Civil War and was an avid collector of Civil War weapons.
