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Married to Elaine Aiko Markham (Roosevelt High School 1948 and Univ. of HI Teacher's College) on October 28, 1950. Bill entered the US Army in 1951. Served in Korea, Hawaii, Fort Benning (Georgia) Infantry Officer Candidate School, Fort Ord (California) Training Brigade, Fort Rucker (Alabama) Army Flight School, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks (Hawaii), 2nd Tour in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division, and Graduate of the Advanced Officer's Class at Fort Benning (Georgia). Assigned to Fort Knox (Kentucky) Training Brigade as a Battalion Commander and General Staff Officer. Assigned to the 3th Infantry Division at Worms and Manheim (Germany) as a Unit Commander and Staff Officer. Appointed the Commander of the USA Recruiting Command Headquarters (Salt Lake City, Utah) and responsible for the states of Utah, Idaho, Montana, Eastern Oregon, and Nevada recruiting stations. Assigned to Vietnam as a Plans, Training, and Security Staff Officer. Retired from the U.S. Army as the Commander of the Island of Hawaii U.S. Army's Pohakuloa Training Area. While assigned to Pohakuloa, Colonel Tai served as the U.S. Army's Survivors' Assistance Officer for the next of kin for the Island of Hawaii during the Vietnam Conflict.Bill's Tutu Wahine was Mary Kaumealani who was born and married in Waiohinu in the district of Ka'u on the island of Hawaii. His father was also born there.
Bill received the following awards from the U.S. Army - the Enlisted Good Conduct Medal, the Army Aviator Wings Medal, Combat Medals for combat in Korea and Vietnam, Army Commendation Medals for his assignments at Fort Knox and the USA Recruiting Command Headquarters, the U.S. Army Legion of Merit Medal,and the Bronze Star.
Bill retired from the U.S. Army on 1 March 1971. He then returned to his home island of O'ahu and subsequently relocated to Veradale/Spokane, WA with his wife Elaine to be nearer to their mo'opuna. They lived there until Elaine's passing after which time he returned home to Hawaii and settled in at Pohai Nani in Kane'ohe.
Bill and Elaine's Ohana: Kenneth Tai (Lola) - Damien High School and Gonzaga University; Kathleen Kalehua Tai - St. Francis High School and Chapman University; Keoni August Tai - Damien High School, Univ of Hawaii, and Sorbonne University in Paris, France; and Kurtis Kaimi Tai (Marie) - lolani High School, Tufts University, and USAF Capt.; 8 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Sisters: Linda Mae Chang and Wilma Hokama.
lnurnment will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2020 at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.
Donations can be made in the memory of Lt Col (Ret) William Tai to the Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.org
~ No Flowers, Please ~
