Oral History Interview with Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge (USA-RET)
Abstract
Interviewer: Today is Thursday, March 10, 1994. My name is Sergeant Major Erwin H. Koehler, United States Army, retired. I'm in the home of Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge, United States Army, retired, located in Palm Bay, Florida. My interview with Sergeant Major Bainbridge will cover the time frame from his birth through his tenure as Sergeant Major of the Army. Sergeant Major what is your date of birth and where were you born? SMA Bainbridge: 17 April 1925, in Gailsburg, Illinois. That's G-A-L-E-S-B-U-R-G. Galesburg, Illinois. Interviewer: And where's Galesburg located in the state of Illinois? SMA Bainbridge: About a hundred and sixty-five miles southwest of Chicago. About forty miles east of the Mississippi River. Interviewer: Were you raised in Galesburg? SMA Bainbridge: No, I was raised all my life in and around Knoxtown, in Warren County, within, I guess, forty miles of Galesburg. Interviewer: Was there a certain town that you were raised in? SMA Bainbridge: No, as a matter of fact, Butch, I was born in Galesburg. My Dad was a railroader, and then he went to farming and I spent most of my time on the farm. I guess probably the first farm was in Elmwood. The local address was Elmwood, Illinois. I remember it was a nine hundred and ninety-nine acre farm; they had taken an acre off for a road junction. We farmed with horses and mules; no tractor. We had two or three hired hands. I can remember that; I was about a four year old. Some of those things I remember. Then my father died when I was about six, and my mother remarried and we stayed on the farm for all those years. I lived in Elmwood, and then lived in a place, another farm--again the address was Elmwood--and Cameron, Alexis, and Dahinda; that's where I was when I graduated from grade school. It was a local school; Trenton Corners Grade School.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- AD1117193
Entities
People
- Erwin H. Koehler
Organizations
- United States Army Center of Military History