3rd Battalion 26th Marines (Vietnam)

Bill Dabney

Colonel William Dabney died 15 February 2012 in Lexington, Virginia. He was 77 years old. Colonel Dabney served a total of 37 years in the Marine Corps with both enlisted and commissioned service. He was an infantry officer who commanded India 3/26 in Vietnam and later commanded 1^st Battalion 1^st Marines, the 9^th Marine Regiment, and Headquarters Battalion, HQMC. He retired in 1990 after serving two years as the Commandant of Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute where he graduated in 1961. After graduation and commissioning as a 2^nd Lieutenant, in September 1961 he married Virginia Puller - daughter of Marine Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller.

Colonel Dabney was awarded the Navy Cross for his leadership and bravery while serving as the Commander of India Company and all attached troops on Hill 881S during the Siege of Khe Sanh. Through his continued leadership, he collaborated with the late Major Frank Gulledge in establishing a web page Warriors of Hill 881S http://www.hmm-364.org/warriors-web-site/warriors.html on the overall HMM-364 Purple Foxes website http://www.hmm-364.org/ . During his two tours in Vietnam, he was also awarded two Bronze Stars. Colonel Dabney is survived by his wife Virginia, his son Lewis Puller Dabney, his daughter Virginia Keane Dabney Kauders, and six grandchildren.