It was 06 DEC 2005 – Ten Years Ago that the world lost a man who had given much …
William P. Yarborough
LTG William P. Yarborough, USA (Ret.) passed on 06 December 2005 after a life that enriched the US Army and the United States of America –
Class of 1936 – West Point
From the US Military Academy, he went on to be one of the driving forces in the airborne operations of the US Army. He designed all three versions of the parachutist badge (the first batch of several hundred were made from silver by the firm of Bailey, Banks, and Biddle Then a captain, Yarborough was responsible for the flash that appears behind the badge (giving the entire US Army the flash of color concept). Later he planned the first drop into North Africa – his book “Bail Out Over North Africa” provided the details of that event… later during WW II William P Yarborough, upon his promotion to colonel was in command of the 509th PIR Airborne. He also briefly commanded the 473d infantry regiment and during that time designed the distinctive unit insignia (DUI) for the regiment.
Father of the Modern Green Berets
Later in his career, his visionary view saw the future need of the US Army Special Forces. He and his West Point classmate MG Chester V Clifton, Jr. orchestrated the pivotal milestone visit to Fort Bragg, North Carolina on 12 October 1961 which exposed President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces securing the funding to turn them into what they are today. That visit also secured the Presidential approval of the Special Forces to wear the green beret, the only Presidential approved headgear in the US military. A bust of the general is on display at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville North Carolina. The US Army Special Forces honored General William P Yarborough in 2002 when they began providing each graduate of the Q course the Yarborough Knife. In 2012 with the generous donation by Ross Perot, a statue of the commemoration of the 1961 Kennedy – Yarborough meeting was placed in front of the JFK Warfare School on Fort Bragg North Carolina.
On October 12, 1961, the president visited Fort Bragg and the US Army Special Warfare Center, home of Army Special Forces. In the course of their meeting, the President asked Brigadier General William P. Yarborough, “Those are nice. How do you like the Green Beret?” General Yarborough replied, “They’re fine, Sir. We’ve wanted them a long time.”
General Y, as many have called him, is at rest at the crest of the hill in Section 4 of Arlington NationalCemetery.
Rest well, General… you are missed!
OMAHA STEAKS
