Photo By Raymond Nelson | World War II veteran and former Adjutant General of Colorado retired U.S. Army Maj....... read more read more
Retired Maj. Gen. William D. Weller served as The Adjutant General, Colorado National Guard, from 1974-1979. The general was responsible for the command administration of more than 5,400 Colorado Army National Guard and Air National Guard members as well as Civil Air Patrol volunteers. The general was also the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Military Affairs. He served in the cabinet of former Colorado Governors John D. Vanderhoof and Richard D. Lamm.
General Weller enlisted as a private in the Colorado Army National Guard in Durango, Colo., Dec. 2, 1940. His unit, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 168th Field Artillery (155mm) (Motorized) Battalion, was activated for federal service Feb. 24, 1941, prior to the United States’ entry into World War II.
The U.S. Army commissioned Weller at Officer Candidate School, Fort Sill, Okla., Aug. 4, 1942, and assigned him to the Field Artillery Replacement Training Center there.
During World War II, Weller deployed to the European Theater of Operations as commanding officer for Battery B and later HHB of the U.S. Army’s 862nd Field Artillery Battalion (105). He led his battery, part of the 63rd Infantry Division, from France across Germany during 120 days of continuous combat. They crossed the Saar River, the Siegfried Line, the Rhine River, and reached Landsberg, Germany, where combat ended for the division and his battery, near the border with Austria.
As Adjutant General of Colorado, Weller led the CONG response to the Big Thompson Flood which claimed the lives of 144 Coloradans during August 1976. Weller’s employment of COARNG helicopters to help Larimer County responders evacuate people trapped in the canyon reduced the potential for further casualties during the worst natural disaster in Colorado history. For his actions, Weller received the Legion of Merit Medal.
EDUCATION
1936-8 Associates Degree, Trinidad State Junior College, Trinidad, Colo.
1938-9 Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.
1966 Associate Command and General Staff Officer Course
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1942 – December 1942, Battery Officer, Battery C, 29th Battalion Field Artillery, ROTC, Fort Sill, Okla.
2. December 1942 – January 1945, Field Artillery Battery Commander, Battery Company, 862nd Field Artillery, 63rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Camp Van Dorn, Miss.
3. January 1945 – June 1945, Field Artillery Battery Commander, Battery Company, 862nd Field Artillery, U.S. Army, Germany
4. June 1945 – September 1945, Liaison Officer, 84th Infantry Division, 325th Field Artillery Battalion, U.S. Army, Germany
5. September 1945 – December 1945, Engineer Company Commander, 12th Armored Division, 119th Army Engineer Company, U.S. Army, Germany
6. February 1946 – January 1948, 586th Control Group, U.S. Army Reserve
7. January 1948 – July 1955, Executive Officer, Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry, Colorado Army National Guard, Grand Junction, Colo.
8. August 1955 – June 1956, Executive Officer, Headquarters, 169th Field Artillery Group, Colorado Army National Guard, Denver, Colo.
9. June 1956 – September 1957, Commanding Officer, Headquarters, 144th Field Artillery Battalion, Colorado Army National Guard, Grand Junction
10. September 1957 – February 1959, Commanding Officer, Headquarters, 188th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, Pueblo, Colo.
11. February 1959 – March 1963, Commanding Officer, Headquarters, 3rd Howitzer Battalion, 157th Artillery, Pueblo
12. March 1963 – January 1965, Special Staff Officer, Headquarters, Colorado Army National Guard, Denver
13. January 1965 – June 1971, Chief of Staff, Colorado Army National Guard, Denver
14. June 1971 – August 1974, U.S. Army Reserve Control Group (Retired)
15. August 1974 – July 1979, The Adjutant General of Colorado, Denver
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
The Legion of Merit Medal
Bronze Star Medal
Army Commendation Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European Campaign Medal with two bronze stars
World War II Victory Medal
Army Occupation Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two bronze hourglasses
Colorado Meritorious Service Medal
| Date Taken: | 10.20.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.20.2017 12:55 |
| Story ID: | 252459 |
| Location: | CENTENNIAL, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 556 |
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