William O . Wooldridge William O . Wooldridge ( August 12 , 1922 – March 5 , 2012 ) a much decorated career enlisted man in the United States Army , was the first Sergeant Major of the Army . Wooldridge served on active duty from 1940 to 1972 . His military career spanned two wars and 14 campaigns , during which he was twice decorated for gallantry in action . He was sworn in as the first Sergeant Major of the Army on July 11 , 1966 by Chief of Staff of the Army , General Harold K . Johnson . Wooldridge ’ s appointment was recorded in the Congressional Record of the 89th Congress Vol . 112 , No . 110 . Military career . William Wooldridge was born in Shawnee , Oklahoma , and grew up in Texas . He enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Worth , Texas on 11 November 1940 . Wooldridge served first with Company F , 23rd Regiment , 2nd Infantry Division . In December 1941 he was assigned to detached service with the British forces in Iceland . The following year , he was released from detached service and assigned to Company K , 26th Regiment , 1st Infantry Division when it arrived in England . He served with his division throughout World War II in an infantry rifle company , being promoted through the ranks to first sergeant . Wooldridge landed on D - Day as a squad leader ( sergeant ) . He was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry at the battle for Aachen , Germany in October 1944 . He also received a Purple Heart for injuries in this battle . He was awarded a second Silver Star for gallantry during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 , while serving as a platoon sergeant . Wooldridge returned to Fort Sam Houston , Texas in May 1945 . In October he was assigned to the Pacific Theater . After attending the 1st 3 Graders Course , Oahu Officer Troop and Staff School , at Schofield Barracks , Hawaii , he was assigned to Headquarters , Eighth United States Army , South Korea as a member of the occupation forces . In July 1948 he was assigned as a platoon sergeant in the 26th Infantry Regiment , 1st Infantry Division , at Bamberg , Germany . He was promoted to first sergeant in Company K , 26th Infantry , 1st Infantry Division , in 1950 . In May 1954 Wooldridge returned to the United States as first sergeant of Company G , 3rd Infantry , at Fort McNair in Washington , D . C . He rejoined the 1st Infantry Division as first Sergeant of Company D , 26th Infantry at Fort Riley , Kansas in December 1955 . On 20 December 1956 , he was appointed sergeant major of the 3rd Battalion , 26th Regiment . He left Fort Riley as sergeant major of the 2nd Battle Group , 28th Infantry Regiment , for duty in Germany in December 1958 , and became the 24th Infantry Division ' s sergeant major in March 1963 . Wooldridge returned to the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley as sergeant major of the 1st Brigade in February 1965 . In June 1965 he was selected by the division commander , Major General Jonathan O . Seaman , as the Division Sergeant Major . The next month he deployed with the division ’ s advance party to the Republic of Vietnam . He served as division sergeant major until his selection as the first Sergeant Major of the Army in July 1966 . Sergeant major of the army . Wooldridge was chosen for this important new position from thousands of candidates . He served as Sergeant Major of the Army until September 1968 . He is credited with improving the status of the non - commissioned officers by convening the first Major Command Sergeants Major Conference and recommending the Noncommissioned Officer Candidate Course , the Sergeants Major Academy , the Command Sergeant Major program , and a standardized NCO promotion process . Wooldridge and General Johnson worked together as an effective professional team . He came to revere Johnson , calling him " the finest officer I ever served with in my life " . After serving as Sergeant Major of the Army , Wooldridge returned to Vietnam as sergeant major of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam ( MAC - V ) . He is the only SMA to return to field duty after serving in the top enlisted position . Controversy . In 1969 , while Command Sergeant Major of the Military Assistance Command , Vietnam , Wooldridge was accused in a congressional inquiry of fraud and corruption related to the military club system . This resulted in Wooldridge being tried in the court of public opinion . In 1973 the Department of Justice and Wooldridge reached an agreement whereby Wooldridge pleaded guilty to accepting stock equity from a corporation engaged in providing merchandise to the noncommissioned officers ' clubs in Vietnam . The government did not find any wrongdoing on his part while serving as the Sergeant Major of the Army . " Although the investigation tarnished the final years of Wooldridge ' s career , it could not diminish his heroic wartime exploits or his arduous labours on behalf of enlisted soldiers and noncommissioned officers as the first Sergeant Major of the Army . " He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal , but it was withdrawn following this episode . Death . SMA Wooldridge died in El Paso , Texas , on March 5 , 2012 , at the age of 89 . References . " The Sergeants Major of the Army " , Daniel K . Elder , Center of Military History , United States Army Washington , D . C . 2003 . Page 67 .