My Uncle Wilber

So many have asked about my Uncle Wilber's service to his country that I thought I should post this message from the Pentagon and General George W. Casey:

DTG
0802141629Z
CARLISLE BKS MANUAL USAWC

THIS MESSAGE WAS SENT BY THE PENTAGON TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTER ON BEHALF OF DA WASHINGTON DC//CSA//

SUBJECT: DEATH OF FORMER SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY

1. IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET THAT THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY AND I INFORM YOU OF THE DEATH OF SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY GEORGE WILBER DUNAWAY, UNITED STATES ARMY, RETIRED. HE PASSED AWAY ON 6 FEBRUARY 2008 IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.

2. AS A MARK OF RESPECT TO THE MEMORY OF SERGEANT MAJOR GEORGE W. DUNAWAY, THE NATIONAL FLAG WILL BE FLOWN AT HALF-STAFF AT ALL INSTALLATIONS, ACTIVITIES, AND VESSELS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, FROM REVEILLE TO RETREAT ON THE DAY OF INTERMENT 19 MARCH 2008.

3. SERGEANT MAJOR DUNAWAY WAS BORN 24 JULY 1922, IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. HE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION DURING HIS 30 YEARS IN THE ARMY CULMINATING WITH BEING SWORN IN ON 1 SEPTEMBER 1968 AS THE 2ND SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY, AND SERVING UNTIL HIS TERM ENDED IN SEPTEMBER 1970. IN HIS OWN WORDS, HIS LIFE AS A SOLDIER WAS ?ABOUT THE SOLDIERS AND IT WAS FOR THE SOLDIERS.? THIS IS EXEMPLIFIED DURING SMA DUNAWAY'S TENURE THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER EDUCATION SYSTEM (NCOES), A THREE-TIERED SYSTEM THAT TRAINED NCOS IN BASIC, ADVANCED, AND SENIOR COURSES, INSURING SOLDIERS WOULD RECEIVE THE BEST LEADERSHIP POSSIBLE.

4. AFTER ATTENDING THE AIRBORNE COURSE IN AUGUST 1943, SERGEANT MAJOR DUNAWAY REMAINED AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA AS AN AIRBORNE SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR UNTIL JANUARY 1945 WHEN HE JOINED THE 517TH COMBAT TEAM IN FRANCE AS A PLATOON SERGEANT. HE RETURNED TO FORT BENNING IN DECEMBER 1945 WITH ASSIGNMENT TO THE 501ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT WHERE HE SERVED AS FIRST SERGEANT OF COMPANY A. IN MARCH 1948, SERGEANT MAJOR DUNAWAY WAS REASSIGNED TO THE 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION AT FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA. THERE HE BECAME A MEMBER OF THE 505TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT AS OPERATIONS
SERGEANT, ASCENDING TO THE REGIMENTAL SERGEANT MAJOR POSITION IN 1952.

5. IN EARLY 1954 HE TRANSFERRED TO THE 187TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM AS THE COMBAT TEAM SERGEANT MAJOR. HE CONTINUED IN THAT POSITION FOR SEVEN YEARS DURING WHICH HE SAW THE AIRBORNE REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM RENAMED AS THE 187TH INFANTRY, WHEN THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION WAS REACTIVATED ON 21 SEPTEMBER 1956, AT FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY. DEPARTING FORT CAMPBELL IN 1961, HE TOOK THE REINS OF THE 1ST SPECIAL FORCES GROUP, 1ST SPECIAL FORCES IN UNITED STATES ARMY PACIFIC AND LATER MOVED TO THE 5TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP IN VIETNAM, WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL JUNE 1967.

6. RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES, HE REJOINED THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION AS IT PREPARED TO MOVE TO VIETNAM IN THE LARGEST UNIT DEPLOYMENT BY AIR IN THE HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR. SERGEANT MAJOR DUNAWAY ARRIVED IN VIETNAM WITH THE COMMANDING GENERAL'S COMMAND GROUP ON 13 DECEMBER 1967. IN FEBRUARY 1968, HE MOVED TO CAMP EAGLE IN THE I CORPS TACTICAL ZONE WITH THE DIVISION WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL JULY 1968 WHEN HE WAS SELECTED AS THE 2ND SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY.

7. SERGEANT MAJOR DUNAWAY'S AWARDS INCLUDE THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, SILVER STAR, LEGION OF MERIT, THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL (WITH V DEVICE), PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL (WITH V DEVICE), ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL (WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER), GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAMESE ARMED FORCES HONOR MEDAL (SECOND CLASS), THE VIETNAMESE CROSS OF GALLANTRY (WITH SILVER STAR), REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE WITH STAR.

8. SURVIVING SERGEANT MAJOR DUNAWAY ARE HIS WIFE, MARY DUNAWAY, HIS SON, MICHAEL DUNAWAY, BOTH OF NEVADA; HIS OTHER SON, GEORGE DUNAWAY OF TEXAS; AND HIS DAUGHTERS, MARTHA BARNETT OF MARYLAND AND SUZANNE HUNT OF NORTH CAROLINA.

9. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE AT 9 A.M. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008, AT THE FORT MYER POST CHAPEL FOLLOWED BY THE INTERMENT AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.

10. DECLAS OADR

GEORGE W. CASEY, JR., GEN, USA

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts.