General Lee was born on March 12, 1895 in Dunn. He studied in Wake Forrest at North Carolina State University. He was an excellent baseball player and an excellent football player.
In 1917, he joined the army, serving in the 81st Division of Infantry. After the rendition of Germany he was billeted in Mayen, Germany.
After 18 months in Europe he became a captain.
When he came back to USA, he carried on his studies at North Carolina State University and then studied 2 years at the US Army School.
He served as an acting military attaché for France and United Kingdom.
Between different camps (such as the Tank French school) he was deployed to camp Jackson, S.C; to Camp David, Panama; to Fort Meade, and to fort Benning, GA.
He served as a commander and a general to Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, KS and became the commander of the temporary group of paratroopers: the 502nd and 503rd Battalions at Fort Benning, before being the commander of the 101st Airborne division in 1942.
The training of the 101ème airborne was pretty intense. The men got a training of parachutist, physical training, navigation and orienteering, strategy and tactic, they also learned how deal with American and foreign weapons. The men were trained until they can do everything by heart…
William C. Lee married his girlfriend Dava, they never had children.
Just before the jump over France, on March 14, 44, General Lee had a heart attack, he had to withdraw from active service. he passed his command to Sergeant General Maxwell D. Taylor.
The men of the 101st airborne Division were invited by General Taylor to yell “Bill Lee” while jumping off the plane. (It was not inusual yelling something while jumping off the plane like Geronimo- etc.).
Bill Lee! A suitable tribute to the man who is better known as “the father of the airborne”.
General William C. Lee died in 1948. The man who was the architect of the airborne forces of USA, and who set up the bases in 1940 with an experimental group of 48 paratroopers, is still a legend.
Decorations:
The WW1 Victory Medal
The Distinguished Service Medal
The American Defense Service Medal
The American Campaign Medal
The European, African and Middle East Ribbons
The WW2 Victory Medal