William O. Wooldridge

William O. Wooldridge (August 12, 1922 – March 5, 2012) was a United States Army soldier and the first Sergeant Major of the Army.

Wooldridge served on active duty from 1940 to 1972. His military career spanned two wars and 14 campaigns, during which he was twice decorated for gallantry in action. He was sworn in as the first Sergeant Major of the Army on July 11, 1966.

Early life William Wooldridge was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and grew up in Texas. He enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Worth, Texas on November 11, 1940.

Military career Wooldridge enlisted on 13 November 1940 after returning to Texas from California. He also wanted to reform the enlisted insignia system and assist soldiers and their families with their personal and family problems. He changed the position of company clerk from E-4 to E-5 to give commanders a more experienced NCO. The inquiry found that then United States Army Provost Marshal General, Carl C. Turner had ignored Wooldridge's earlier theft and AWOL offenses that were notified to him at the time of Wooldridge's appointment as first Sergeant Major of the Army was announced in late 1966. Turner was later accused of having covered up an attempt by Wooldridge to smuggle 8-9 cases of liquor aboard General Creighton Abrams' KC-135 jet in April 1967. Higdon testified that between then and July 1968 Crum paid him a total of approximately US$60,000 of kickbacks from the slot machine operations.

Wooldridge had earlier been awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, but it was revoked following this episode. In June Collins and Robin Moore's novel Khaki Mafia, a fictional character in a criminal cartel is based on Wooldridge in South Vietnam.

Later life Wooldridge died in El Paso, Texas, on March 5, 2012, at the age of 89. He is buried at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in Section A, Lot 56.

Awards and decorations