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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Nov '90
William Fuller Pence No.15511 Class of 1946
Died 7 July 1987 in Austin, Texas, aged 61years.
Interment: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
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William Fuller (Bill) Pence was an Army brat and
was born at Walter Reed Army Hospital on 25 August 1925. His
father, Major General Arthur W. Pence, was an Engineer out of
the Class of November 1918. Bill moved from Army post to Army
post as a child, and ended up attending high school at Bronxville,
New York. From there he attended Sullivan's Preparatory School
in Washington, DC, before receiving his appointment to West Point.
Entering the Academy on 1 July 1943 with Bill was
his brother Arthur W. Pence, Jr. It was then, and is still, highly
unusual for two brothers to enter the same Class at West Point
and subsequently graduate as Bill and Art did. Bill had no difficulties
getting through West Point. He enjoyed cadet life to the extent
that was possible. His good sense of humor allowed him to shrug
off things that worried other cadets. He was always on hand to
help a beleaguered classmate when the occasion arose.
Graduation saw Bill enter the Signal Corps and
attend the Signal Basic Course at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
He took time off at Christmas 1946 to marry Adeline (Sug) Hartnell
at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on 28 December. His first unit assignment
was to a Signal troop with the Constabulary in Germany. In 1949,
Bill transferred to the Corps of Engineers. After a tour as a
training company commander at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Bill
was selected to receive his master's in civil engineering at
the University of Illinois at Urban. Nineteen hundred and fifty-four
saw Bill in Korea, where he commanded a company in the 73rd Engineer
Battalion (Combat) and later commanded a company in the 73rd
Engineer Battalion (Constr). Returning to the continental United
States, Bill and Sug were assigned to the University of Kansas,
Lawrence, Kansas, where Bill was assistant professor of Military
Science and Tactics. Nineteen hundred and fifty-eight saw the
Pences heading for France, where Bill was assigned to the Engineer
Supply Control Agency. It was during this assignment that a friend
and fellow officer recalls some of the traits that gained Bill
such respect and admiration from all who knew him. This friend's
hobby was writing skits and playlets to entertain at the officers
club. In his words, "Bill, who had two left feet and the
worst singing voice I have ever heard, appeared in everything
we put on. His boundless enthusiasm and obvious joy in performing
infected his fellow performers and also the audience. Everybody
had a wonderful time because Bill was having such a good time."
From France, Bill and Sug returned to Buffalo,
New York, where Bill was the Deputy District Engineer. August
1966 saw Bill go to Fort Hood, Texas, with orders to organize
train and deploy an Engineer battalion to Vietnam. Under adverse
conditions and with every staff section of a corps headquarters
looking over his shoulder, Bill deployed his battalion. The Corps
Engineer recalls that Bill got the job done without being intimidated
and was absolutely unflappable. He never lost sight of his mission
and refused to let minor snags divert him. Bill's S-3 in the
battalion recalls that Bill had a unique way of keeping things
in perspective. He could recognize talent and was patient enough
to draw out the best in anyone who was honest with him. This
officer doesn't recall Bill ever raising his voice during those
trying times. Bill's unit performed admirably in Vietnam. The
following is quoted from a fellow officer, "He received
many 'atta boys' from the brass for the job his guys performed.
Bill's boys took a back seat to no one! They were soldiers first,
and damn fine engineers."
Bill returned to the continental United States
to become Post Engineer at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. In 1969, he
became Engineer, Army Strategic Communications Command. He retired
from the Army at Fort Huachuca in 1970. After just a year of
being retired, Bill went to work at Arlington Hall Station, Virginia,
as Chief Construction Branch. In 1974, he moved to Vint Hill
Farms Station, Warrenton, Virginia as Facilities Engineer. Bill
finally retired from government service in 1983, and he and Sug
settled into retired life in Virginia. In 1985, the Pences moved
to Lakeway, Texas, a resort community near Austin. Bill entered
into the active social life of the community. He assumed civic
responsibilities by being elected to the board of directors of
the local municipal water district. An avid and excellent golfer,
Bill thoroughly enjoyed his retirement
Suddenly cancer struck. A year of chemotherapy
and radiation treatment failed to control the cancer and Bill
died 7 July 1987. He is survived by his wife, Sug, and three
sons, William, Robert and Thomas.
Bill Pence was a man who gained the respect and
admiration of everyone who had the opportunity to know him. This
is evidenced by the responses to requests for input for this
article, some of which follow:
"From my association with Bill, I would characterize
him as modest and sincere, a true West Pointer in every aspect,
epitomizing the motto [Duty, Honor, Country."
"Bill was intellectual, moral and extremely
quick-witted. No, Bill was not perfect; however, he came much
closer than most. All my memories of Bill are happy and fond
except for his final interment, which for me and for all his
many friends, was a very sad moment"
"I admired Bill for his professionalism, his
abilities, aplomb, and his singleness of purpose. He constantly
amazed me with the depth of his knowledge."
"Bill Pence, without a doubt, was a wonderful
person and an excellent professional engineer, and a distinct
credit to West Point, to the Corps of Engineers, and to the United
States Army."
"I want to convey my great regard for Bill
and to tell you and Sug and all his classmates what a fine man
he was and how much those times we spent together meant to me.
My prayer is that someday my friends will remember me in the
same way."
William Fuller Pence was born into an Army tradition,
a tradition he upheld and cherished all his life. The West Point
motto, Duty, Honor, Country, was his guiding principle at all
times; his family knew and understood this. Bill was a dedicated
family man, a loving husband and a caring father. There is a
consensus description of Bill from everyone who knew him: "He
was an outstanding human being." The world is a better place
because Bill Pence was here with us. We are all enriched for
having known him.
1946 Memorial Article Project and his wife Sug
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