Colonel William H. Harper was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 28 March 1945. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, Infantry Replacement Training Center, Fort McClellan, Alabama. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Public Relations Officer, Headquarters, 25th Inf Div, Osaka, Japan; Competitive Tour, 7th Inf Regiment, 3rd Inf Div, Fort Devens, Mass; U.S. Army Liaison Pilot Training, USAir Force, Waco, Texas; Aviation Officer, 350th Inf Regiment, Salzburg, Austria; Combat Developments Department, U.S. Army Aviation School; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Aviation Officer, U.S. Forces Iceland, Keflavik, Iceland; Information Officer, U.S. Army Aviation School, Fort Rucker, Alabama; Operations & Executive Officer, Executive Flight Detachment, Presidential Helicopter Unit, Washington, D.C.; Comdg Off, 5th Tng Bn, 2nd Regiment, U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia; CO, 13th Combat Aviation Battalion, Can Tho-Republic of Vietnam; Aviation Officer, U.S. Army Training Center, Director, Department of Tactics, U.S. Army  Aviation School, Fort Rucker, Alabama; Director, Dept of Stds & Instr Tng, U.S. Army Aviation School, Fort Rucker, Alabama; CO, USAMKTU, US CONARC, Fort Benning, Georgia. | Colonel Harper's awards and decorations include: White House Service Badge, Vietnam Honor Medal 1st Class, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/PALM, ARCOM w/2 Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal w/ V Device and 22 Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Silver Star.