William H. Dabney
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William Howard Dabney | |
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| Nickname(s) | Bill |
| Born | September 28, 1934 Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | February 15, 2012 (aged 77) Lexington, Virginia, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1954–June 30, 1990 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | India Company (India & Mike Company, Hill 881S, Khe Sanh), 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, 3rd Marine Division (Reinforce) |
| Battles / wars | Vietnam War
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| Awards | Navy Cross Silver Star Medal Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart Medal |
| Spouse(s) | Virginia McCandlish Puller |
| Other work | VMI commandant of cadets (1989–1990) |
William Howard Dabney (September 28, 1934 – February 15, 2012) was a colonel in the United States Marine Corps. He was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in the Vietnam War. He also served as the Commandant of Cadets at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) from 1989 to 1990.
Biography
[edit]Dabney was born as William Wagner in [1] Saint John New Brunswick, Canada on September 28, 1934, to Victor William Wagner (1894–1972) and Mary Hennessey Wagner (1902–1990).[2][3] His mother remarried Hugh Keane Dabney (1893-1972) on May 5, 1945, in Henrico Co., Virginia and his surname was changed to Dabney.[4] He was raised in Panama and Gloucester County, Virginia, graduating from Christchurch School in Middlesex County, Virginia in 1953. He attended Yale University 1953–54, then enlisted in the USMC, and later graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1961 and was an initiate of the Beta Commission of Kappa Alpha Order. In that same year, Dabney married Virginia McCandlish Puller, daughter of Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller in September 1961. Colonel Dabney is also a central character as then Captain and commanding officer on Hill 881 near Khe Sanh during the siege of Khe Sanh in the Historical Fiction novel titled "1968" by Kenton Michael.
U.S. Marine Corps
[edit]He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in 1954. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) in 1957. He attended Virginia Military Institute (VMI), graduating in 1961. He was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1960. He was married to Virginia McCandlish Puller in September 1961. She was the daughter of the legendary Marine Corps general, Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller.[5]
Vietnam
[edit]Dabney served two tours of duty in South Vietnam (RVN) during the Vietnam War. On his first tour from 1967 to 1968, he was in command of India Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, stationed on Hill 881 South during the Battle of Khe Sanh. Dabney was awarded the Silver Star for action on January 20, 1968, on Hill 881 South. In 2005, Dabney was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on Hill 881 South from January 21 to April 14, 1968. He also received a Bronze Star Medal and a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross for actions during that same time period.[5] On his second tour from 1970 to 1971, he was a senior adviser for a Vietnamese Marine infantry battalion, Khe Sanh, South Vietnam. Dabney was awarded a second Bronze Star, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, a Purple Heart Medal, and a second RVN Gallantry Cross.[5]
Post-Vietnam
[edit]He received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal during his service as Chief of the Combat Operations Center, National Emergency Airborne Command Post, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, 1980–1981.[5]
He received the Legion of Merit while serving as Commanding Officer, Headquarters Battalion, Headquarters, Marine Corps, Henderson Hall which is now is part of Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall, 1984–1987.[5]
He also served as the Commandant of Cadets at Virginia Military Institute from 1989 to 1990 and was the Commanding Officer of VMI's NROTC Unit from 1987 to 1990. Dabney retired June 30, 1990.[5]
Death
[edit]Dabney died February 15, 2012, at his home, Mackey’s Tavern,[6] in Lexington, Virginia.
Awards and decorations
[edit]Dabneys' decorations and medals include:[7]
 
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| Navy Cross | Silver Star | ||||||||||||||
| Legion of Merit with one gold award star | Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V", one gold award star | Purple Heart | Good Conduct Medal | ||||||||||||
| Navy Commendation Medalwith Combat V and award star | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster | Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze service star | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation | ||||||||||||
| National Defense Service Medal with service star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal | United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon with service star | ||||||||||||
| Vietnam Service Medal | Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation with palm | Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60- | Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with one silver star | ||||||||||||
| Vietnam Staff Service Medal ribbon-First class | Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal-First Class | Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with palm unit awards | Sea Service Deployment Ribbon | ||||||||||||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Saint John is written out in full so that it will not be confused with St John's Newfoundland
- ^ US Consular Report of Births, 1910-1949, digital images, Ancestry.ca. http://search.ancestry.ca/cgi-bin/sse.dll?=Consular Archived 2020-10-13 at the Wayback Machine Repo. Retrieved 20 May 2013. Shows that Victor William Wagner and Mary Elizabeth Hennessey were married in Santiago, Chile on October 29, 1929 and also gives the date of birth of their daughter, Martha Wagner, at Saint John, New Brunswick on February 24, 1933.
- ^ The Miami News, Miami, 3 June 1972. Retrieved May 20, 2013. This link was on Google newspapers archive but the link was taken away on November 18, 2015 and the newspaper itself has ceased publication. Wagner - Victor William Wagner survived by a daughter Martha Leclere, Williamsburg, Virginia and a son, Major William Dabney, US marines, Fairfax, Virginia.
- ^ Virginia, marriage records, 1936-2014, digital images, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia. Ancestry.ca. http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx? dbid=9279& geo. Accessed January 7, 2017
- ^ a b c d e f HMM-364.org – Military Biography
- ^ Obituary, Virginia Mccandlish Puller Dabney, Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg, Virginia. https://obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com/virginia-mccandlish-puller-dabney. Accessed December 19, 2024
- ^ https://militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=334970
External links
[edit]- 1934 births
- 2012 deaths
- People from Gloucester County, Virginia
- People from Saint John, New Brunswick
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
- Recipients of the Silver Star
- United States Marine Corps colonels
- United States Marines
- Virginia Military Institute alumni
- Yale University alumni
- United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War
- United States Marine Corps reservists
- People from Lexington, Virginia