Scope and Contents

The collection consists of two narratives written by Bill Libby while serving as Chaplain with the 101st Airborne Division near Hue in 1968.

Biographical / Historical

Chaplain (Col.) Billy W. (Bill) Libby was born in Barnsdall, OK on April 10, 1937. He attended Texas A&M University and became the Corps Chaplain in his senior year. He obtained his Master of Divinity from Drew Theological Seminary, where he met and later married Amelia Ann Dunkle on September 9, 1961. Shortly afterwards, Bill and Amy began their first assignment at Fort Bliss, followed soon thereafter by an assignment in Dachau, Germany. Bill served in the U.S. Army for 30 years, advancing to the rank of Colonel and ministering to soldiers and their families. Bill served in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his ministry to soldiers during combat. He served with the 101st Airborne Division and was present during the Tet Offensive and the Battle of Hue. An Associated Press photograph of Bill conducting a field funeral after the Battle of Hue was featured in books about the Tet Offensive as well as in the Ken Burns documentary film about the Vietnam War.

During his military career, Bill and his family moved frequently from Kansas to New Jersey to California and back to Germany. His last assignment was teaching Ethics and History at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. Following his military retirement, he returned to the Northwest Texas conference of the United Methodist Church as Associate Pastor at St. Paul United Methodist Church where he remained an active member until his death. Bill's second career was as a professor and coach at McMurry University beginning in 1991. He held this postion for twenty years. Bill Libby died on January 7, 2023.