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WILLIAM "BILL" EDWARD McGUIRE, JR., or "Willie Mac," as he was affectionately known by his classmates and friends, was born in Passaic, NJ, to William, Sr., and Mabel McGuire. Delighted with a son to join a daughter, Elisabeth Jeannie, the McGuire family soon left Passaic for upstate New York, where Bill's dad commanded a Civil Conservation Corps camp before the advent of WWII. Bill and the family enjoyed their life in the Army and moved around to various different Army posts as Bill's dad was reassigned during the WWII era.
From the time Bill was a kid, he had his sights set on being in the Army and especially joining the Corps at West Point. In order to ensure that he could achieve his dream, his parents sent him to St. John's College in Washington, DC, and upon graduation sought an appointment to West Point. Bill chose to defer his dream when an appointment to West Point was not available, even declining an alternative offer of an appointment to the Naval Academy. In the interim he attended Catholic University in Washington, DC, and took mechanical engineering courses for two years until an appointment to West Point from Representative Howard Smith came through in 1950.
Academics at West Point were always a struggle for Bill because he enjoyed sports more (varsity football in particular). Bill and Joe Palastra were roommates all four years. Joe was a "hive" and could eat masses of food without ever gaining an ounce, while Bill struggled both with academics and his waistline. They developed a great friendship, however, in spite of these differences.
During the cadet summer trip at the start of his Cow year, Bill met Gisela "Isa" Maria Behnke at the Ft. Monmouth dance, and he decided that she was probably the one he would like to waltz with for a lifetime. He proposed under "kissing rock," she accepted, and it was agreed they would marry shortly after graduation. Bill and Isa married in St. Teresa's Catholic Church in Summit, NJ, on 12 Jun 1954.
Bill completed Ranger school prior to reporting for the Basic Armor Course at Ft. Knox, KY. Quay Snyder, a K-1 classmate, had decided to go Infantry, so that meant Bill could get the "anchor man" slot in Armor. Bill really enjoyed being a tanker. After Ft. Knox, a tour with the 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, followed at Ft. Hood, TX, where, on 3 Apr 1955, son Thomas William McGuire was born.
It wasn't too many months before orders came for assignment to the 2d Battalion, 14th Armored Cavalry, stationed in Bad Kissingen, Germany. Army quarters were in short supply in those days, but suitable housing was found, and the family moved in time for a daughter, Suzanne Ilene, to be born. Several '54 classmates also were stationed at Bad Kissingen at the time, and although we worked hard, we also played hard most of the three years there. Much time was also spent on the "border."
Stateside orders found the McGuire family back in Ft. Hood and delighted with the new addition, Kathleen Marie, born on 1 Dec 1959. The family soon moved back to Ft. Knox, and Bill was assigned to Combat Developments Command for some time before the next move to Ft. Meade, MD, and the 11th Armored Cavalry. Bill graduated from the language school at the Presidio of Monterey before serving as a military advisor in Viet Nam during 1963-64. As a major assigned to Headquarters, 8th Infantry Division, Bad Kreuznach, Germany, from January 1966 until January 1969, primary duty was as assistant chief of staff, G-3 Training. As the division training officer, he coordinated and supervised all division training from squad to brigade-level exercises. Additional duties were as the officer in charge of the division tank gunnery course in Grafenwoehr, as a member of Division PAL/EMAS nuclear release procedures team, as officer in charge of Division FTX/CPX umpire team, and finally, as a G-3 operations officer. Upon returning stateside, there was a brief tour at Ft. Meade, MD; as well as assignments to the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA; Korea; the Pentagon; and Ft. McNair in Washington, DC. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1976 for a physical disability. During his career, Bill was the recipient of a Bronze Star and multiple Commendation Medals.
In retirement, Bill taught in the Fairfax County School System. He died in 1997 after a long illness.
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