William H. Kale

Lieutenant Colonel William Kale served in the United States Army from June 1966 to July 1988, with assignments in Field Artillery, instruction, intelligence, and political-military operations.

Kale came from a long family tradition of military service. His great-great-great-grandfather served in the 3rd New Jersey Regiment during the Revolutionary War, and his great-great-grandfather served in the 1st Delaware Infantry during the Civil War. His father was a career Army officer in the New Jersey National Guard’s 112th Artillery, serving in World War II after federalization and later becoming executive officer of a battalion in the 5th Armored Division before retiring in 1960. Kale’s uncle also served in the New Jersey National Guard and commanded the 695th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. All four of Kale’s brothers served in the military. 

Kale attended Rutgers University, where he studied history and participated in ROTC. He was commissioned in the Field Artillery Reserve on June 8, 1966. Later that month, he applied for and was accepted into active duty, was sworn into the Regular Army, and attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The course lasted twelve weeks and was conducted in aging World War II-era barracks during extreme summer heat.

In December 1966, Kale was assigned to a Corps Artillery unit in Kitzingen, West Germany. He arrived just before an annual general inspection and was immediately assigned as Executive Officer of B Battery in an Honest John nuclear-capable rocket battalion, despite having minimal formal training on the system. The battalion was significantly understaffed due to deployments to Vietnam. Within three weeks of arrival, Kale assumed command of his battery as a second lieutenant after his commander was transferred. At age 22, he was responsible for maintaining readiness and accountability for nuclear warheads under strict two-person control procedures. His unit maintained high readiness due to its proximity to Soviet forces. Kale served in Germany from December 1966 to May 1968, working long hours with minimal leave.

In April 1968, Kale received orders for Vietnam. He returned to Fort Sill for a six-week orientation course designed to retrain non-cannon artillery officers and prepare them for combat operations. Kale deployed to Vietnam in May 1968, shortly after the Tet Offensive, and was promoted to first lieutenant shortly after arrival. He initially entered the country through Cam Ranh Bay and proceeded to Long Binh, where he experienced his first mortar attack.

Kale was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery and served primarily as a liaison officer in Tactical Operations Centers, coordinating artillery and airspace. He worked rotating shifts on a continuous schedule and often handled night operations, which saw the most combat activity. Kale later served as an advisor during the transition of base operations to Thai forces. He conducted investigations into artillery incidents, including one round that landed inside a village without causing casualties. Kale was also assigned to firebases near the Mekong Delta and supported radar units and infantry operations. His unit received frequent indirect fire, including 120 mm rockets, and experienced Viet Cong attacks near their perimeter. He observed the effects of Agent Orange clearing operations along roadways.

During his tour, Kale experienced a high fever of unknown origin and was evacuated briefly to Saigon. Similar symptoms recurred intermittently for several years after his return. Later in life, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and prostate cancer, conditions recognized by the VA as service connected. Kale was temporarily rated at 100% disability and later reduced to 20% after remission.

Kale returned from Vietnam through Oakland, California, and experienced hostility toward soldiers traveling in uniform. He transitioned quickly back into stateside service and was assigned as a gunnery instructor at Fort Sill, teaching Officer Candidate School students. As officer requirements decreased, Kale transitioned to basic gunnery instruction. During this period, he married and later completed the Field Artillery Advanced Course.

Kale attended graduate school in Washington, D.C., earning a degree in International Relations. He returned to Fort Sill to teach political and military science electives and later staff operations courses, reflecting a shift in Army training priorities. Kale also completed a Command and General Staff course.

Kale was later assigned to Korea at Camp Stanley, near the Demilitarized Zone, serving as an S-2 and later S-3 in artillery units. His tour coincided with heightened tensions following the Korean Axe Murder Incident, though morale remained high. On August 18th, 1976, a company of North Korean soldiers killed two United States Army officers who had been attached to a work party trimming a tree on the DMZ. Readiness levels of American Troops in South Korea increased to DEFCON 3, and every United Nations Command force in Korea was put on high alert. This heightened alert status remained in effect until a U.S.-led show of force compelled the North Korean government, for the first time since the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement, to formally acknowledge responsibility for the attack.

Kale worked closely with South Korean forces and noted their discipline and work ethic. Kale completed his Korea tour in 1977.

Following Korea, Kale attended the Armed Forces Staff College and was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency, working in the Western Political-Military Section with responsibility for several NATO and European countries. He later served on the Army Staff, focusing on Western Europe and Soviet military affairs. During this period, Kale contributed to policy development and crisis response planning, including NATO reactions to events such as the “Polish Crisis”. He remained in the Washington, D.C. area for over five years, a significant change after frequent early-career relocations.

In 1982, Kale was assigned to the 7th Army Training Command in southern West Germany as Director of Training Management. He oversaw training policy, budgets, ammunition, and equipment fielding. His family accompanied him. Afterward in 1985, Kale served as an advisor to the 50th Armored Division Artillery in New Jersey.

In 1988, at age 44, Kale retired from the Army. He later worked briefly as a defense consultant before entering public service in New Jersey. Using his GI Bill, Kale earned a master’s degree in teaching and certification in social studies but continued working with the state in the Division of Pensions and Benefits.

Kale remains active in veteran and historical organizations. He is a lifetime member of the American Legion and the VFW and has volunteered with the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey in Lawrenceville since 2006. Kale continues to travel, volunteers locally, and assists with a Boy Scout troop in Ewing.

Additional Resources:

• CentralJersey.com – We owe a debt of gratitude
• Lawrence Gazette – Explore military history at National Guard Militia Museum