Association of the United States Army Sixth Region awards

Sergeant Major Bainbridge was a native of Galesburg, Illinois. Drafted in 1943, his first unit of assignment was the 423rd Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division, the last unit organized for WWII. Captured in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, Sergeant Major Bainbridge spent the remainder of the war in a German POW camp. Upon returning to the United States, he left active duty and joined the Army Reserve, but returned to active duty for the Korean War. Continuing on active duty, he was a Battalion Sergeant Major by the Vietnam War. Deploying to Vietnam with the 1st Infantry Division, he became the Sergeant Major of II Field Force, a lieutenant general level command. Returning to the United States, Sergeant Major Bainbridge would be one of the Army’s first Command Sergeant Majors. Subsequently, he was selected to be the first Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army Sergeant Major Academy at Fort Bliss Texas. In 1975, he was selected to be the Command Sergeant Major of the Army, serving in that position until retirement in 1979.

Sergeant Major of the Army Bainbridge’s awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medals, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-North Africa-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Combat infantryman Badge (Second Award).

Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge died 29 November 2008 at age 83 and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on 29 January 2009.

In 2000, the Association of the United States Army established their Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge annual award to an active duty, Reserve Component serving or retired noncommissioned officer for a lifetime of selfless service to the Army and Nation. Since the Sixth Region already had its annual award to a noncommissioned officer named in honor of the Sergeant Major of the Army Bainbridge with the Sergeant Major’s concurrence, the Sixth Region continues its annual Sergeant Major of the Army William

G. Bainbridge Award for Excellence.