DePuy, William Eugene, born 01-10-1919, Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota, United States, 
to Richard Merrill DePuy (1891–1956) and his wife Ruth M, born Tweed DePuy (1891–1981). William was of French Huguenot and Scotch-Irish descent via Canada. His military career began when he enlisted in the South Dakota National Guard, 
eventually becoming a squad leader. William graduated from South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and received a ROTC commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the U.S. Army 
in 1941.
His first assignment was with the 20th Infantry Regiment 
at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, 
and during this time he walked to the Louisiana Maneuvers and back with his platoon. In April 1942, he was assigned to the 357th Infantry Regiment 
of the 90th Infantry Division 
under command of Major General Henry Terrell Jr.
at Camp Barkley, Texas, where he served in a number of positions, including Regimental Operations Officer and Battalion Commander. William deployed with the 357th Infantry Regiment to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in March 1944. He fought with the Division in the Normandy hedgerows 
and during the Northern France, Ardennes, Rheinland, and Central Europe Campaigns. This included the fierce fighting from Utah Beach through the Battle of the Bulge. In July 1945, he became G-3 of the 90th Infantry Division. During this time, DePuy rose from the rank of Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel in less than three years.
Following the war, Lieutenant Colonel DePuy returned to the U.S. in the fall of 1945 to attend the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the War Department General Staff in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1.
In 1948 he attended the Defense Language Institute for a year to learn Russian. He then attended a course at the Strategic Intelligence School in Washington, DC, prior to becoming the Assistant Military Attaché, and later the Acting Army Attaché in 1949 at Budapest, Hungary.
DePuy’s assignment in 1950 was with the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC, where he headed China Operations. There he met Marjory Kennedy Walker of Salem, Virginia, a Far East specialist who served with both the Office of Strategic Services 
and the Central Intelligence Agency, 
and they were married in June 1951. A son, William E. DePuy, Jr. was born in July 1952; daughters Joslin and Daphne were born in July 1953 and 1954, respectively.
DePuy entered the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, VA, in February 1953 and, upon graduation, was assigned to Germany where he served a three-year tour as Assistant G-3 in V Corps; 
Commanding Officer of the 2d Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division; and Acting Deputy Chief of Staff in V Corps. After returning to Washington in 1956, he served for four years in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army helping design the Army’s force structure, doctrine and training policies.
In 1960, DePuy returned to Europe, first to attend the British Imperial Defence College 
in London, England and then, after one year in England, he went to Schweinfurt, Germany to become Commander of the 1st Battle Group, 30th Infantry Division, 
DePuy returned to Washington in May 1962 where he served as Directory of Special Warfare in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations. He was later the Director, Plans and Programs, in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development.
First deployed to Vietnam in May 1964, DePuy served as Assistant Chief of Staff of Operations for Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV). In March 1966, Major General DePuy assumed command of the famous 1st Infantry Division (“the Big Red One”) 
. During his time as commander, he established a scholarship fund for the children of 1st Infantry Division soldiers killed in Vietnam, which eventually became the 1st Infantry Division Foundation. 
After returning from Vietnam in March 1967, MG DePuy joined the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency and Special Activities. On 10-03-1969, DePuy was promoted to Lieutenant General and assumed the duties of Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, a position he held for four years.
Lieutenant General DePuy became Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Continental Army Command in March 1973. Later, after receiving his fourth star, General DePuy became the first Commander of the the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command. 
This new command had overall responsibility for the Army’s training center and school system, the ROTC program, and combat and doctrine development. During his tenure, General DePuy set the Army on the course that, ultimately, produced the winning teams during Operations Just Cause and Desert Storm. 
General DePuy retired from active duty in July 1977, but remained active in military affairs. He continued to write extensively on professional military subjects and lectured at the services’ colleges.
DePuy is perhaps best remembered for his efforts while Commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, where he helped create a new, innovative fighting doctrine for the Army. His wide-ranging and sometimes controversial changes in combat development and the way the Army trains, sparked a debate that resulted in the widely-accepted AirLand Battle Doctrine.
DePuy, William Eugene died on 09-09-1992, age 72, of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in Arlington, Virginia and is buried at the Brown Family Cemetery, Albemarle County, Virginia. 5035 Browns Gap Turnpike (Rt. 810)Browns Cove, Virginia 22932 United States. His wife Marjory Kennedy, born Walker DePuy 1915–2002 (geh. 1951) 
is buried there too
Leave a Reply