Douglas C. Dillard
Born: 14 Sep 1925
Enlistment date: 03 Jul 1942
Deployments: Panama Canal Zone 1942-43, Europe 1944
Units: 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry
Regiment 82nd Airborne, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 505th Parachute
Infantry Regiment.
Rank: Ranks held from Private to Colonel
Specializations: 60mm Mortar Man, CW Operator, Communications Sergeant.
Qualifications: Parachute Badge, Expert Marksman, Combat Infantryman Badge
Decorations: BSM, Presidential Unit Citation, Bronze Star, Army Good Conduct Medal, EAME Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, French Croix de Guerre,
Discharge Date: 30 Sep 1977
Other Information: Doug joined the 551st PIR aged just 16 years and went
with them to Panama before being transferred to Europe. Doug served with the
551st throughout its existence in WWII. Rising through the ranks, he ended WWII
as a 1st. Sgt. He went on to have a distinguished military career while
serving in both the Infantry and Military Intelligence Branches. Combat service
also included Korea where Doug served with the North Korean partisans and Agents
behind the lines. He saw service in Vietnam included two tours one with the MACV
Detachment in the Mekong Delta the other as Commander of the Army Intelligence
unit for SE Asia.
Before leaving the 82nd to go to Korea in 1951, Doug qualified as a Master
parachutist and Pathfinder. As an Intelligence Officer he studied the Czech and
German languages in preparation for duty in Europe.
