FORT BENNING, Georgia; November 2003 – William O. Harden, a civilian employee with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, was recently awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Award for his part in the war against terrorism. This prestigious award is the equivalent to a military Legion of Merit. Harden is the Chief of the USAMU Custom Firearms Shop. For the past five years, he also has served as USAMU’s director of the pistol and rifle Small Arms Firing Schools at Camp Perry. Lt. General Dennis Cavin, Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia, presented the award to Harden when General Cavin and USAAC Command Sgt. Maj. Perry L. Roberts visited USAMU's Easley Range at Fort Benning on November 20th.
 |
| William O. Harden (right), Chief of the USAMU Custom Firearms Shop, received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, equivalent to a Legion of Merit, from Lt. General Dennis Cavin (left), Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command, on November 20, 2003. Mr. Harden received the award for the role he played in applying accuracy innovations developed for rifle marksmanship competitions to weapons being used in combat in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. |
As the USAMU Custom Firearms Shop Chief, Harden is responsible for the work the shop does in transferring knowledge gained through competitive firearms accuracy developments to combat weapons used by U. S. Army and U. S. military personnel in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
"Mr. Harden's contribution to the Army and Department of Defense has been without equal. His assistance took on a larger role and greater priority since the events of Sept. 11, 2001," General Cavin said. "The Custom Firearms Shop, under the direction of Mr. Harden, has answered the call to improve weapons systems from units being deployed in defense of American interest against terrorist groups."
Over the past several years, with Harden's extensive knowledge of weapons design and ballistic requirements, the USAMU shop transformed the M-16A2 into the most accurate and versatile combat rifle in the U.S. military. Pursuant to a request from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, the Custom Firearms Shop developed a modified M-16A2 for specific war-fighting requirements and improved the M-4 weapons system for use in hot weather climates. Recently, the USAMU Shop rebuilt numerous M-21 sniper systems for units in Panama and along the demilitarized zone in South Korea.
"These weapon systems have been used to fight the war on terror during Operation Enduring Freedom and to defeat a vicious dictator in Operation Iraqi Freedom," Cavin said. "Mr. Harden's commitment to the development of accurate and dependable competitive and combat weapons has resulted in soldiers not only being awarded Gold Medals in marksmanship competitions, but lives being saved on the battlefield."
"Receiving this award is without a doubt one of the highlights of my career," Harden said. "It is one highlight that couldn't be accomplished without the soldiers and civilians who surround me. The talent level of the men and women of the shop has enabled this unit to achieve its win mission year after year. I humbly accept this award on their behalf and say thanks to each and every one of them."
A native of Anguilla, Mississippi, Harden graduated from Anguilla High School in 1954. He was drafted into the Army in April 1957. His mother still lives in Anguilla. He started shooting the service rifle in February 1958 for the 82nd Airborne Division. Harden transferred to Europe in December 1958 and competed for the 8th Infantry Division in the 1959U.S. Army Europe Small Arms Championship. There he earned the Distinguished Rifleman Badge and was selected as a member of the U.S. Army Europe Rifle Team. He went on to compete in the All-Army Small Arms Championships and the National High Power Championship at Camp Perry, Ohio. He returned from Europe in December 1959 and was assigned to USAMU as a member of the service rifle team. In 1961, Harden was a firing member of a national record-setting U. S. Army Infantry Trophy Team at Camp Perry. From 1964 to 1967, he served as a service rifle shooter and gunsmith for the U.S. Army Europe Marksmanship Unit in Grafenwohr, Germany. He earned the President's One-Hundred Tab while competing as a member of the USAREUR Team at Camp Perry.
Harden served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 as a noncommissioned officer in charge of in-country movements at Long Bien. From 1969 to 1973, he was reassigned to USAMU as a sniper and service rifle gunsmith. From 1973 to 1974, he served as the chief and gunsmith for the 8th Army Marksmanship Unit at Camp Casey, Korea. From 1975 through 1982, he served as the noncommissioned officer in charge for the USAMU Custom Firearms Shop. He retired from the Army in September 1982 as a Master Sergeant. Subsequent to his Army retirement, Harden became the Chief of the Custom Firearms Shop and also received a degree in business management from Troy State University. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Vietnam Service Medal with silver service bar, Army Service Ribbon with two overseas service bars, Overseas Service Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, eight Good Conduct Medals, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Superior Unit Award, Parachutist Badge, Distinguished Rifleman Badge, President's Hundred Tab and Superior Civilian Service Award.
|
