caption serviceyears branch death_place death_date birth_place allegiance awards placeofburial_label battles birth_date rank image article_title name
sma william o. wooldridge 1940-1972 united states army el paso , texas 05 march 2012 shawnee , oklahoma united states of america silver 2 -rrb- bronze star purple heart air medal -lrb- 2 star -rrb- belgian croix de guerre -lrb- 2 -rrb- legion of merit -lrb- place of burial world war ii vietnam war 12 august 1922 sergeant major of the army william wooldridge.jpg william o. wooldridge
 william o. wooldridge
william o. wooldridge

william o. wooldridge -lrb- august 12 , 1922 -- march 5 , 2012 -rrb- , who had 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 .
