Maj. William "Bill" (Ret.) Putman
October 24, 1933 — August 31, 2016
Maj. (Ret.) William "Bill" Putman, 82, died Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at his home after a short battle with cancer.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 AM Saturday, September 3, 2016 at The Infantry Chapel at Ft. Benning, GA with Chaplain Darren Chester officiating. Interment will be held at a later date at Ft. Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, SC. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service and a reception will follow the service at The Infantry Chapel according to McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907.
Maj. Putman was born October 24, 1933 in Laurens, SC to Willie P. Putman and Jane Scott Foster Putman. Bill attended Lauren city schools, graduating from Laurens High School in 1951. He graduated from Presbyterian College in 1955 with major in Bible and minor in history. In 1956, he began an active military career in Ft. Benning, GA where he attended Basic Infantry Officers Course after completion of which he was permanently assigned to Ft. Benning. After a short break in service, he returned to Ft. Benning, GA with duties as platoon leader/training officer in the 23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, and assignments as Asst. S-1 of the 11th Infantry, and Aide-de-Camp to the Asst. Div. Commander. Later he moved with the General to the U.S. Army Infantry School where he continued his duties as Aide-de-Camp to the Asst. Commandant.
After completion of this assignment, Bill attended the Infantry Officers Career Course in 1963, and then attended the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School in the Military Assistance Training Advisory Course. He then attended the Defense Language Institute, West Coast, graduating from the Vietnamese Language Course. He served in Viet Nam for his first term of a year. Subsequently, he enjoyed assignments at Ft. Jackson, SC, Hqs US Army Pacific at Ft. Shafter, HI, eighteen more months in Viet Nam, Ft. Polk, LA, ending his active duty military career with an assignment at Hqs US Army Japan, as the Ch. Plans, Opns, and Programs, Div. and Special Dep. to the Asst. Ch. of Staff, G-1.
Returning home, Bill graduated from The Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, VA and worked for three years in TN. In 1979, Bill returned to Ft. Benning as the Protestant Dir. Of Religious Education where he served for 22 years.
Music has always been an important part of Bill's life. He began piano lessons at age six and received lessons in piano, voice, and organ through college. All through his military career and later, he served as Assistant Organist at several military chapels, tenor soloist in many choirs, and participated in other off post musical activities. In 1966, he was selected to sing in the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and sang there until his departure from Hawaii. He was selected to be one of three American members of the Yokohama Symphony Chorus and sang with them as long as he was in Japan. While in Japan, he was also contracted by Japan Nippon Victor to make a series of English language childrens' songs for use in Japanese schools to teach Japanese Children English usage. Returning to Ft. Benning, he again sang in the Infantry Chapel Choir and served as Asst. Organist for many years. Bill holds the record for being a member of the Infantry Chapel Choir for over forty-two years.
Bill is survived by several first cousins and many wonderful friends.
He would like to thank Mrs. Kathy Wilson and the medical team who served him so well during his last medical illness.
It is requested that in lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial contributions to the First Presbyterian Church 400 West Main Street, Laurens, SC 29360 or to the Jane Scott Foster Putman Scholarship Fund at Presbyterian College, Broad Street, Clinton, SC 29325.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 AM Saturday, September 3, 2016 at The Infantry Chapel at Ft. Benning, GA with Chaplain Darren Chester officiating. Interment will be held at a later date at Ft. Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, SC. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service and a reception will follow the service at The Infantry Chapel according to McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907.
Maj. Putman was born October 24, 1933 in Laurens, SC to Willie P. Putman and Jane Scott Foster Putman. Bill attended Lauren city schools, graduating from Laurens High School in 1951. He graduated from Presbyterian College in 1955 with major in Bible and minor in history. In 1956, he began an active military career in Ft. Benning, GA where he attended Basic Infantry Officers Course after completion of which he was permanently assigned to Ft. Benning. After a short break in service, he returned to Ft. Benning, GA with duties as platoon leader/training officer in the 23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, and assignments as Asst. S-1 of the 11th Infantry, and Aide-de-Camp to the Asst. Div. Commander. Later he moved with the General to the U.S. Army Infantry School where he continued his duties as Aide-de-Camp to the Asst. Commandant.
After completion of this assignment, Bill attended the Infantry Officers Career Course in 1963, and then attended the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School in the Military Assistance Training Advisory Course. He then attended the Defense Language Institute, West Coast, graduating from the Vietnamese Language Course. He served in Viet Nam for his first term of a year. Subsequently, he enjoyed assignments at Ft. Jackson, SC, Hqs US Army Pacific at Ft. Shafter, HI, eighteen more months in Viet Nam, Ft. Polk, LA, ending his active duty military career with an assignment at Hqs US Army Japan, as the Ch. Plans, Opns, and Programs, Div. and Special Dep. to the Asst. Ch. of Staff, G-1.
Returning home, Bill graduated from The Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, VA and worked for three years in TN. In 1979, Bill returned to Ft. Benning as the Protestant Dir. Of Religious Education where he served for 22 years.
Music has always been an important part of Bill's life. He began piano lessons at age six and received lessons in piano, voice, and organ through college. All through his military career and later, he served as Assistant Organist at several military chapels, tenor soloist in many choirs, and participated in other off post musical activities. In 1966, he was selected to sing in the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and sang there until his departure from Hawaii. He was selected to be one of three American members of the Yokohama Symphony Chorus and sang with them as long as he was in Japan. While in Japan, he was also contracted by Japan Nippon Victor to make a series of English language childrens' songs for use in Japanese schools to teach Japanese Children English usage. Returning to Ft. Benning, he again sang in the Infantry Chapel Choir and served as Asst. Organist for many years. Bill holds the record for being a member of the Infantry Chapel Choir for over forty-two years.
Bill is survived by several first cousins and many wonderful friends.
He would like to thank Mrs. Kathy Wilson and the medical team who served him so well during his last medical illness.
It is requested that in lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial contributions to the First Presbyterian Church 400 West Main Street, Laurens, SC 29360 or to the Jane Scott Foster Putman Scholarship Fund at Presbyterian College, Broad Street, Clinton, SC 29325.
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