William A. Tippins
NAME: William A. Tippins
ASN: 14082564
PLACE OF BIRTH: Waterford, AL
DATE OF BIRTH: 1924?
DATES OF SERVICE: 10 Jul 1942 - 00 Sep 1965
UNIT ASSIGNED: E Company, 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
C Company, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
CAMPAIGNS: Tunisia, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno
AWARDS: Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, POW Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead device and two bronze star devices, World War II Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Medal for Humane Action, 3rd Zouaves Regiment Badge, Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
10 Jul 1942 - Enlisted at Miami, FL- No NARA Enlistment Record available
11 Nov 1942 - Graduated from The Parachute School
00 Sep 1943 - Participated in Ventotene Island Raid
22 Jan 44 - Amphibious Assault on Anzio, Italy, Operation SHINGLE
Pfc. Tippins carried Fletcher who was wounded back to friendly lines during an artillery barrage one night. Lt Grabow was going to recommend him for the SIlver Star Medal but was killed in action before doing so.
28 Feb 1944 - Pfc. William A. Tippins, 14082564, GO 31 Commendation for action 9 Sep - 19 Oct 43
29 Feb 1944 - Captured near Anzio and sent to Stalag 3B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia (Also KDOS [USA] #1-5; ARB BTNS 225-255) 52-14
NARA POW Record
| SERIAL NUMBER | 14082564 | 14082564 |
| NAME | TIPPINS WILLIAM A | TIPPINS WILLIAM A |
| GRADE, ALPHA | PFC | Private First Class |
| GRADE CODE | 7 | Second Lieutenant or Nurse or Dietitian or Physical therapy aide or Private First Class or Ensign or Second Class, Seaman |
| SERVICE CODE | 1 | ARMY |
| ARM OR SERVICE | INF | Infantry |
| ARM OR SERVICE CODE | 10 | INF: INFANTRY |
| DATE REPORT: DAY (DD) | 29 | 29 |
| DATE REPORT: MONTH (MM) | 02 | 02 |
| DATE REPORT: YEAR (Y) | 4 | 1944 |
| RACIAL GROUP CODE | 1 | WHITE |
| STATE OF RESIDENCE | 42 | Florida |
| TYPE OF ORGANIZATION | 160 | Parachute Infantry |
| PARENT UNIT NUMBER | 0509 | 0509 |
| PARENT UNIT TYPE | 07 | Battalion/Training Battalion Combat/Special Troops |
| AREA | 72 | European Theatre: Germany |
| LATEST REPORT DATE: DAY (DD) | 30 | 30 |
| LATEST REPORT DATE: MONTH (MM) | 06 | 06 |
| LATEST REPORT DATE: YEAR (Y) | 5 | 1945 |
| SOURCE OF REPORT | 1 | Individual has been reported through sources considered official. |
| STATUS | 8 | Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated |
| DETAINING POWER | 1 | GERMANY |
| CAMP | 004 | Stalag 3B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia (Also KDOS [USA] #1-5; ARB BTNS 225-255) 52-14 |
| REP | ||
| POW TRANSPORT SHIPS |
Interview with WIlliam Tippins:
While holding defensive positions on a mountain top in the vicinity of Carano, Italy between the US 3rd Infantry Division and US 45th Infantry Division, the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion fought off an assault from a German Infantry Regiment. The 509th PIB repelled the enemy with a counterattack and regained the lost ground but not before several wounded 509ers were captured. Pfc. William Tippins was blown out of his foxhole and knocked unconscious during the German assault. When he awoke, he found a German Soldier standing over him with a stick grenade in one hand and fighting still heard in the distance. The German in perfect English said "for you the war is over" thinking that the German might shoot him, he began to get up but quickly realized that he had a 2 1/2 inch cut in his abdomen and some of his intestine was protruding from the wound. The German continued "We do not have any medics in our squad to treat your wounds and the nearest aid station in 3 kilometers away, I can kill you now or you can walk to the aid station" Pfc. Tippins quickly responded "I'll walk". Still surprised by the excellent English, he asked the German "Where are you from?" "From St. Louis Missouri" the German replied, "My mother and father lived in Germany and I was visiting them when the war began". Pfc. Tippins was brought to his feet and the German Soldier took the .45 cal automatic from his holster, emptied all but one round and gave the pistol to another German who he instructed "if the prisioner cannot make it to the aid station shoot him" The German Soldier took Tippins canteen, topped it off with water and returned it, advising him "pour water onto your intestines every ten minutes or so to keep them from drying up" Pfc. Tippins and his guard set out for the aid station through the rugged mountain terrain.
At the aid station, his wounds were dressed and he was sent on to a German Field Hospital near Rome. There he recieved stitches and began to recover. While at the hospital he managed to slip out, making his way he began to pass out occasionaly ending up at a church. Tthe priest provided him something to eat and made him a sandwich to take with him but was eager to send him on his way. Setting out again, he made it to a barn where the farmer turned him over to the Germans. Pfc. Tippins had been gone for about 72 hours. Next he was sent to Latorina(?) where there was a holding camp. From the holding camp, he was sent north to Germany gradually being seperated from the other 509ers who he had been captured with him. While in the Stalag, he continued to have complications from his wounds and was checked into the infirmary. He could not hold down food and especially had problems with German bread. Fortunately, a young female hospital attendant snuck in white bread and fed it to him which helped him survive. Unable to speak German he called her 'Pinky' because of her rosey cheeks. About 19 April 1945 the Germans fled and the Russians liberated the camp. For one day the American POWs were allowed to freely move about the camp. Pfc. Tippins found a pair of pliers laying around and quickly confiscated them. The next day the Russians locked down the POWs stating that the Americans would need to be processed because the Russians would be compensated for every American returned. When asked, they were advised that the process would likely take about 8 months. The night of 21 April 1945 he used the pliers to break out of camp and began to make his way to the Molda River, the agreed upon American Army limit of advance. It took Pfc. Tippins approximately 14 days and crossed about 70 miles mostly at night to avoid detection by the Russians and the Germans to make it to the Molda River. On 06 May 1945 he swam across the Molda River and came into contact with American Forces on 08 May 1945, the same day the war ended in Europe. Weighing only 103 lbs. and in poor condition, he was treated and sent home.
30 Jun 1945 - Processed to go home
After spending some time at home he decided to re-enlist. He went to the Army Air Forces recruiter and said that he would join if he could return to Germany. The recruiter advised that former POWs held by Germany were not allowed to serve in Germany as part of the Army of Occupation. WIlliam Tippins told the recruiter that he would not join unless he could return to Germany. The recruiter fixed it and WIlliam Tippins returned to Germany as with the OSI (Office of Special Investigations) as an investigator.
12 Jul 1946 - Re-enlisted at Boca Raton AAF, FL in the Army Air Forces
In Germany, he worked with the German Police. At the time the German Police managed the hotels providing rooms for refugees. One night while with the German Police, a young lady was showing the police her papers. Tippins noticed the young lady and thought she looked familar. He moved around behind her and softly said 'Pinky'. She quickly turned around and found the American Soldier she had helped in the POW Camp infirmary. They spent the next 7 months seeing each other and got married.
| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 14082564 | 14082564 |
| NAME | TIPPINS#WILLIAM#A####### | TIPPINS#WILLIAM#A####### |
| RESIDENCE: STATE | 42 | FLORIDA |
| RESIDENCE: COUNTY | 025 | DADE |
| PLACE OF ENLISTMENT | 4211 | BOCA RATON AAF FLORIDA |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY | 12 | 12 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH | 07 | 07 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR | 46 | 46 |
| GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION | PFC# | Private First Class |
| GRADE: CODE | 7 | Private First Class |
| BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION | AC# | Air Corps |
| BRANCH: CODE | 20 | Air Corps |
| FIELD USE AS DESIRED | # | # |
| TERM OF ENLISTMENT | 3 | Enlistment for Hawaiian Department |
| LONGEVITY | ### | ### |
| SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL | S | Undefined Code |
| NATIVITY | 41 | ALABAMA |
| YEAR OF BIRTH | 24 | 24 |
| RACE AND CITIZENSHIP | 1 | White, citizen |
| EDUCATION | 3 | 3 years of high school |
| CIVILIAN OCCUPATION | 351 | Undefined Code |
| MARITAL STATUS | 1 | Single, with dependents |
| COMPONENT OF THE ARMY | 1 | Regular Army (including Officers, Nurses, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men) |
| CARD NUMBER | 8 | 8 |
| BOX NUMBER | 0155 | 0155 |
| FILM REEL NUMBER | 2.12# | 2.12# |
Served as head of USAF Pentagon security detail
00 Sep 1965 - Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Air Force as a Chief Master Sergeant
Had career as an investigator at the Department of Agriculture
00 000 2003 - His wife Pinky passed away.
18 Mar 2019 - Passed away https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/springfield-va/william-tippins-8219668
L to R: UKN, Tippins, UKN in Naples, Italy
Article by Sarah Cox from Healther Veterans News www.washingtondc.va.gov
Bill Tippins meets Secretary of Defense at POW/MIA Ceremony in 2012
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