HATTAWAY WILLIAM E #2

LTC William "Bill" E Hattaway was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 05/19/2014 at the age of 81.2 from Renal failure
Kempner, TX
Flight Class 58-8
Date of Birth 02/17/1933
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with C/227 AHB 1 CAV in 65-66, D/227 AWC 1 CAV in 66
This information was provided by Bridget Hattaway (daughter)

More detail on this person: Funeral services with full military honors for retired Lt. Col. William E. Hattaway will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church in Copperas Cove. Burial will follow at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen.

Mr. Hattaway died May 19, 2014, peacefully at his home in Kempner. He was born in 1933 in Atmore, Ala., to Fonzie and Louise Hattaway. He spent the first six years of his life on a family cotton farm where he picked cotton alongside his mother, an endeavor that laid the groundwork for his steadfast work ethic, which followed him throughout his life.

When his family moved to Pensacola, Fla., Bill recalled, "I spent weekdays delivering newspapers before the start of school and weekends at Brownsville Baptist Church." While attending Pensacola High School, he lettered in football and excelled in math.

Upon graduation in 1950, he worked at Gulf Power Company for three years before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and that same year married the love of his life, Mary Louise Black. Following his graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1954, he spent the next two years as a fixed-wing pilot in Korea, returning to Fort Rucker, Ala., where he earned his helicopter pilot training and was selected to serve as an instructor in the Department of Rotary Wing.

In 1960, he attended the advanced course at Fort Benning, Ga., and soon transferred to Nuremberg, Germany, serving in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment as a patrol pilot on the Czechoslovakian/East German border. In 1964, he received his Bachelor of Science at the University of Nebraska, and subsequently assumed command of Headquarters Company, 512 AIB at Fort Hood. He joined the 1st Airmobile Cavalry Division in 1965 and deployed to Vietnam with Charlie Company, 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion.

Returning in 1966, he served in III Corps Aviation, attended Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and completed the Helicopter Instructor Examiner Course at Fort Rucker, Ala., before being reassigned to Fort Hood as the 1st AD Aviation Officer.

In 1969, he assumed command of the 1/13th Tank Battalion, 1st Armored Division, and then spent a year in London, England, with the Army Standardization Group. Once again returning to Fort Hood, he finished his military career as a test officer with the ACCB Directorate at MASSTER Headquarters and retired in 1973.

A career defined by much success, his awards include the National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Army Aviator Badge, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device and one oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with Valor Device and numeral 13, Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Meritorious Unit Emblem.

In 1974, Bill and Mary started Hattaway Construction and over the next 38 years they developed subdivisions and built residential and commercial properties in Lampasas, Bell and Coryell counties.

Mr. Hattaway was preceded in death by the love of his life, Mary Black Hattaway, his cherished wife of 60 years; parents, Louise and Fonzie Hattaway; beloved in-laws, Gillis and Eddie Bell Black.

Survivors include his children, Bridget Hattaway of Copperas Cove, Ed Hattaway of Austin and Brett Hattaway of Kempner; grandchildren, Jared Mullins of Killeen, Sgt. Jake Mullins and his wife, Mary, of Grafenwoehr, Germany, Austin Hattaway of Kempner, Abby Hattaway of Georgetown and Jade Fox of Florence; great-grandchild, Carsyn Mullins; sister, Amelia Harvell, and brother, Dan Hattaway, both of Pensacola, Fla.; and numerous nieces, nephews and a multitude of treasured friends. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made in his name to the Foundation of the First Cavalry Division Association, 302 N. Main St., Copperas Cove, TX, 76522.

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Copperas Cove, which is in charge of arrangements.

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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