Military Biography - Colonel William H. Dabney, US Marine Corps (Ret) (02/06)

Birth:  St. John, New Brunswick, Canada; 28 Sept 1934.  Raised in Panama, R. P. and Gloucester County, Virginia.

Education:  Christchurch School, Virginia, grad. 1953; Yale Univ., 1953/4; Virginia Military Institute, 1957/60, grad, BA (English); USMC Amphibious Warfare School, 1967; USMC Command and Staff College, 1977; National War College, 1982.

Military Service:

Enlisted USMC, Richmond, VA, 1954; Parris Island, 1954; 3d Marine Division, Japan, 1955/57; discharged 1957 (sergeant - radio repair).

        Enlisted USMCR, Lynchburg, VA, 1957; platoon sergeant, 100th Rifle Company; disharged 1960 (staff sergeant).

        Commissioned USMC, 1960; OfficerÕs Basic School, Quantico, VA; Platoon Leader/Rifle Company Commander, 2d Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC/Caribbean/Mediterranean, 1961/3.  Guard Officer, Marine Barracks, Rota, Spain, 1964/7 (lieutenant/captain).

        Rifle company commander, Vietnam (DMZ)/Officer-in-Charge, regimental combat outpost (Hill 881S, Khe Sanh), Vietnam (Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry), 1967/8; Headquarters USMC staff, 1969 (captain, major).

        Senior Advisor, Vietnamese Marine  infantry battalion, DMZ/Khe Sanh, Vietnam, 1970/1 (Bronze Star, Navy Commendation Medal (2),  Purple Heart, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry) (major).

        Pentagon (Secretary of the Navy staff), 1972/4.  Commanding Officer, student officer companies, OfficerÕs Basic School, Quantico, VA, 1975/6. G-4 Operations Officer, 1st Marine Division, 1977/8 (major).

        Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, CA/Panama, R. P., 1978/9.  Chief, Combat Operations Center, National Emergency Airborne Command Post, Offut AFB, NE, 1980/1 (Defense Meritorious Service Medal) (lieutenant colonel).

        Commanding Officer, 9th Marine Regiment, Japan/Philippines/Commander, Camp Hansen, Japan 1983.  Commanding Officer, Headquarters Battalion, Headquarters, Marine Corps/ Henderson Hall, 1984/7 (Legion of Merit).  Senior Fellow, Strategic Defense Studies Center, Ft. McNair, DC, 1987(Defense Meritorious Service Medal) (colonel).

        Commanding Officer, NROTC Unit, VMI, 1987/90/Commandant, VMI Corps of Cadets, 1989/90 (Legion of Merit).  Retired 30 June 1990 w/36 years service (33 active).

        Married to the former Virginia McC. Puller of Saluda, VA; 3 children, William H, Jr., (ex-nuclear submarine officer), businessman; Lewis P., (ex-USMC infantry officer), MD/ob/gyn; Virginia Keane, (ex-HS teacher), housewife.  Six grandchildren.

Col Dabney's Index Page.
Col Dabney's Obituary
Col Dabney's Memorial Service
Hill 881S Home Page.