rendered valuable service throughout his duty in Siberia. For this service and his helpful
cooperation with the Japanese forces, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the
Japanese Government. He returned to the United States by way of short tours of duty in Manila
and Fort MeKinley, Philippine Islands and Tientsin, China. He was relieved from detail in the
Signal Corps and resumed his commission in the Infantry.
The entire Army went through some very trying times for the twelve to fifteen years
immediately following World War I. During these years change of station was frequent and
changes in duty assignments were even more frequent. It was discouraging to many junior
officers. In the Class of August 1917, thirty-seven resigned from the military during these years
to take up careers in the civilian sectors, but not Bill Chapman. He was the same staunch
individual he had always been with determination to follow in the footsteps of his forebearers,
loyal to the service, first, last and always. During these yeais he served at Camp Lewis,
Washington, Vancouver Barracks, Washington, and as Assistant P.M.S.&T. at the University of
California, Berkeley, California. This latter assignment was a long tour and it was very
satisfying and good for Bill's morale.
On 8 March 1927, he was commissioned a captain of Infantry and assigned to the 24th Infantry,
but almost immediately he was reassigned to the Infantry School. There he completed the
Student Officers Course and the Advanced Course. From there he was sent to Schofield
Barracks, Hawaii, where he joined the 21St Infantry, serving as Regimen-
tal Intelligence Officer, Regimental S-3 and as Company Commander of Company G. Then it
was back to "State side" and assignment to the Presidio of San Francisco, California, first as
Adjutant of the ist Reserve Area, and later as G-1 and G-4 of that Reserve Area.
Bill was appointed major in July 1936, and assigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he
commanded the ist Battalion of the gth Infantry. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30
August 1940, and assigned as S-3 of the gth Infantry.
After this he went to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as a student officer at the Command and
General Staff School, and back again to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he was assigned as
commander of the 2nd Battalion of the gth Infantry. At this point his duties with the 9th
Infantry were again interrupted by a special War Department assignment as a member of an
observation mission to England during the Battle of Britain (World War II). He returned to
Fort Sam Houston and resumed command of the 2nd Battalion of the 9th Infantry. Then it was
http:Apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/5840/ 4/16/15,12:50
Page 2 of 4
, OCR Text: rendered valuable service throughout his duty in Siberia. For this service and his helpful
cooperation with the Japanese forces, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the
Japanese Government. He returned to the United States by way of short tours of duty in Manila
and Fort MeKinley, Philippine Islands and Tientsin, China. He was relieved from detail in the
Signal Corps and resumed his commission in the Infantry.
The entire Army went through some very trying times for the twelve to fifteen years
immediately following World War I. During these years change of station was frequent and
changes in duty assignments were even more frequent. It was discouraging to many junior
officers. In the Class of August 1917, thirty-seven resigned from the military during these years
to take up careers in the civilian sectors, but not Bill Chapman. He was the same staunch
individual he had always been with determination to follow in the footsteps of his forebearers,
loyal to the service, first, last and always. During these yeais he served at Camp Lewis,
Washington, Vancouver Barracks, Washington, and as Assistant P.M.S.&T. at the University of
California, Berkeley, California. This latter assignment was a long tour and it was very
satisfying and good for Bill's morale.
On 8 March 1927, he was commissioned a captain of Infantry and assigned to the 24th Infantry,
but almost immediately he was reassigned to the Infantry School. There he completed the
Student Officers Course and the Advanced Course. From there he was sent to Schofield
Barracks, Hawaii, where he joined the 21St Infantry, serving as Regimen-
tal Intelligence Officer, Regimental S-3 and as Company Commander of Company G. Then it
was back to "State side" and assignment to the Presidio of San Francisco, California, first as
Adjutant of the ist Reserve Area, and later as G-1 and G-4 of that Reserve Area.
Bill was appointed major in July 1936, and assigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he
commanded the ist Battalion of the gth Infantry. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30
August 1940, and assigned as S-3 of the gth Infantry.
After this he went to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as a student officer at the Command and
General Staff School, and back again to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he was assigned as
commander of the 2nd Battalion of the gth Infantry. At this point his duties with the 9th
Infantry were again interrupted by a special War Department assignment as a member of an
observation mission to England during the Battle of Britain (World War II). He returned to
Fort Sam Houston and resumed command of the 2nd Battalion of the 9th Infantry. Then it was
http:Apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/5840/ 4/16/15,12:50
Page 2 of 4
, Heritage Society of Pacific Grove,Historical Collections,Names of People about town,C through D File Names,Chapman,CHAPMAN_002.pdf,CHAPMAN_002.pdf 1 Page 1, Tags: CHAPMAN_002.PDF, CHAPMAN_002.pdf 1 Page 1