Gen. William DePuy; Led 1st Infantry in Vietnam

Gen. William DePuy, 72, who led the 1st Infantry Division, “The Big Red One,” in Vietnam. A native of Jamestown, N. D., DePuy joined the Army in 1941 and saw combat in the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, winning the Distinguished Service Cross, three Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts. He served in Vietnam from 1964 to 1967, first as assistant chief of staff for operations and later as commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division. He was an important government witness in the Pentagon Papers trial. DePuy served as assistant Army vice chief of staff and then organized and headed the Training and Doctrine Command at Ft. Monroe, Va., before retiring in 1977. Sept. 9 in Arlington, Va., of cardiopulmonary arrest.