I was honored to have known LTC Bill Anton. While on active duty, I was detailed to find an active Army unit to test and evaluate some new electronic warfare gear. This Soldier, then a unit commander stepped forward and did an outstanding job that eventually sold the Army on the concept and equipment. It was a valuable asset during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. I was fortunate to meet met this Soldier in person in Las Vegas while working on a Veteran support activity that brought up talk of our military experiences. I discovered that this was the same officer that volunteered his unit for that difficult task supporting U.S. Special Forces in the field with untested equipment. It was with great pleasure that our Military Intelligence Corps Association presented our award for significant contributions to Military Intelligence, the Knowlton Award, named after one of the first U.S. intelligence officers in the Army during the Revolutionary War.
I also worked with LTC Anton on several veteran-related projects. One in particular, was the Stolen Valor Act that was sponsored by a Nevada elected official and passed into law. What few Veterans relaize is that many Veteran Service Organization improvements resulted in scores of Veterans finally receiving their Veterans Administration disability ratings after many years of waiting.
I believe that his long term impact locally will be on the improvements he made to the Veteran Service Organizations he belonged to. He mentored others to take his place and they serve our Veteran community today and will for many years. That in itself is a pretty good legacy for a Soldier and Veteran. As many say today, "Rangers Lead The Way."
Lou
[Attachment(s) from JRL-NV@cox.Net included below]
Bill Anton died today, 15 June 2017 .
He has been a member of China Post 1 for 35 years and he will be sadly missed.
Bill has worked in many different organizations always taking care of the troops. He was in the Army from 1970-1990 retiring at the rank of LTC. When I retired and moved to Las Vegas area, he reached out to me and pulled me into the local DAV chapter. It was a good way for me to meet people after moving. He was smart about integrating people into groups. When I was the National VP for Military Intelligence Corps Association, he gave me a lot of critical advise on what to watch for and how to improve organizations. He is a Knowlton Winner in the Military Intelligence Corps Association.
Bill loved his time in the Rangers and experiences in both Vietnam and Korea. He was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 2009. Information below includes his Biography for the Ranger HOF and other articles. He worked all levels of leadership from the bottom to working directly for a 4 star General CINC US Force Korea. He had some stories. He has some great times.
Below you will find information from the web about China Post 1 Bill Anton.
Bill was always Army Strong!
Jim Lint
https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-anton-b6a35824/
Biography from Ranger Hall of Fame:
LTC (Ret) William T. Anton, Ed. D.
Dr. William T. Anton was born in Chicago, Illinois on 7 July 1948 to LTC (Ret.) & Mrs. Andrew Anton. Upon completion of High School, Ranger Anton accepted an ROTC scholarship to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Ranger Anton played football for the Cornhuskers. Due to an injury sustained playing football, Ranger Anton ceased to play for the team so that he may continue his role as cadet. In ’69-‘70, Ranger Anton was selected as National Commander of Pershing Rifles, and promoted to Cadet Major General. He was the highest ranking ROTC Cadet in the United States with over 20,000 cadets in his command, with 17 Regiments.
Ranger Anton, a Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG), entered active duty into the United States Army in February 1970 as a Regular Army 2nd Lt. and completed I.O.B.C. From this point, Ranger Anton successfully completed and graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne School and the U.S. Army Ranger School with Ranger Class 14-70.
Ranger Anton was a Patrol Platoon Leader in Co. O (Arctic Ranger) 75th Inf. (Airborne) and made the historic first tactical parachute jump on the Polar Ice Cap. Ranger Anton served with Co. H (Ranger) 75th Inf. (Airborne), the most decorated combat Ranger Unit in Vietnam, serving as Company Commander and Executive Officer. Ranger Anton was decorated for valor while serving in this unit. Ranger Anton retired from Active Duty in November, 1990 after serving 20 years on Active Duty in the United States Army.
Ranger Anton holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Education from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, a Master’s Degree in Education from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, and a Doctorate in Education from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Ranger Anton serves as the unit Director for Co. H (Ranger) 75th Inf. (Airborne), 1st Cavalry Division, 75th Ranger Regiment Association. His Masonic activities are numerous, including Past Master of Solomon Lodge No. 822 and a Past Senior Grand Warden within the American Canadian Grand Lodge. Ranger Anton is also a Coroneted 33rd Degree; Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite member. Ranger Anton is also a Life Member in MENSA, the high I.Q. society. Additionally, he is a Life Member of the Combat Infantryman’s Association, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, 75th Ranger Regiment Association, U.S. Army Ranger Association, 82d Airborne Division Association, and Special Forces Association.
Ranger Anton is a 100% Disabled Veteran. Ranger Anton is currently the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department (State) Adjutant in Nevada – this equates to the Chief Executive Officer of the organization. He is also in line to be the President of the Commanders and Adjutants Association at the DAV National level.
By Keith RogersLAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
December 20, 2012 - 2:21 pm
In keeping with the low-key nature of military intelligence, a small contingent of Army Special Forces and Marine Force Reconnaissance veterans with Veterans Affairs officials gathered Thursday to present Army Ranger Hall of Fame soldier Bill Anton with the prestigious Knowlton Award.
The award by the Military Intelligence Corps recognized Anton, a retired lieutenant colonel from North Las Vegas, for his “high standards of integrity, moral character, professional competency and selflessness” in leading his electronic warfare company to develop a key intelligence-gathering tool in 1979. The battle-tested, shock-resistant system continued to gather vital intelligence more than a decade later during Operation Desert Storm.
“I’ve been blessed with great troops. They did all the work. Just give them the freedom to be creative,” Anton said in accepting the award and medal from retired Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Rothenstein of the Military Intelligence Corps.
Because of the still-classified details about the system, Anton could only say that it “collects voice and data on what the bad guys are doing.”
“We did a side-by-side test with the new stuff against the old stuff,” and the newer, more compact system made from modified, off-the-shelf technology components proved more effective and reliable on the battlefield.
Anton commanded the 358th Electronic Warfare Company of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 313th Military Intelligence Battalion. In 2009, he became the first Nevadan inducted in the United States Army Ranger Hall of Fame for his service in the Vietnam War.
The Knowlton Award is named for Lt. Col. Thomas Knowlton, a Revolutionary War hero from the Connecticut Militia who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill. He was later killed on Sept. 16, 1776, during a skirmish with British forces while leading a scout team in New York known as Knowlton’s Rangers.
Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/military/army-ranger-hall-of-fame-soldier-honored/
Sec. Robert McDonald shows DAV Department of Nevada Commander Bill Anton his 75th Ranger Regiment Association membership card. Bill Anton just so happens to be the President of the association. (VA Photo / Reynaldo Leal)
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Bill Anton is shown in this 1971 photograph in Vietnam.
2009 /RHOF Biography_07-7-09.pdf
2009/Anton/RHOF Induction Speech_5 August 2009.pdf
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