William R. Richardson

Who is William R. Richardson?

General William Rowland Richardson was a U.S. Army four-star general and former Commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command

He was born in Taichow, Kiangsu, China, on March 25, 1929 to missionary parents. Richardson graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1951 and was commissioned in the Infantry. His initial assignment was with the 24th Infantry Division on occupation duty in Japan.

He was deployed to Korea in 1953 with the 7th Infantry Division. After the end of the Korean War, he subsequently served in various staff positions before taking command of the 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division in 1966. He deployed with his battalion to Vietnam, and later was assigned as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, of the 9th Infantry Division. He returned to Vietnam in June 1971 as the Commander of the 198th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, and later became the Division Chief of Staff. In 1972 he became the Assistant Commandant of the Infantry School at Ft Benning, Georgia. In 1974 he served as Commander of the 193rd Infantry Brigade in the Panama Canal Zone from December 1974 to June 1977.