William F. Garrison Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids William F. Garrison

Nickname(s)	"Bill"
Born	(1944-06-27) 27 June 1944 (age 81) Mineral Wells, Texas
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1966–1996
Rank	Major general
Commands held	John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center (1995–96) Joint Special Operations Command (1992–94) Delta Force (1985–89) 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment (1981–83)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War Phoenix Program Somali Civil War United Nations Operation in Somalia II Operation Gothic Serpent Battle of Mogadishu
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal (4) Purple Heart

William F. Garrison (born on June 27, 1944) is a retired American major general. He was a high-ranking officer in the United States Army. General Garrison led the U.S. forces during a military mission called Operation Gothic Serpent in 1993. This operation happened during the Somali Civil War and aimed to capture a Somali leader named Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

Early Life and Army Start
Military Career Highlights
- Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia
  - The Battle of Mogadishu
Military Awards
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Army Start

William F. Garrison was born in Mineral Wells, Texas, on June 27, 1944. He studied business and earned a degree from the University of Texas–Pan American. In 1966, he joined the United States Army.

Military Career Highlights

General Garrison spent most of his career working with special operations units. These are highly trained military teams that handle difficult and secret missions.

During the Vietnam War, he was part of a program called the Phoenix Program. This program worked to find and deal with enemy leaders in villages.

From 1981 to 1983, Garrison was in charge of the 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry, which was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1982, he led a group of 808 soldiers on a mission in the Sinai Peninsula. Their job was to act as a buffer, or a neutral zone, between Israel and Egypt.

Later, from 1985 to 1989, he commanded a very famous special operations unit known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (often called Delta Force). His last command before retiring was the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center.

Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia

General Garrison was the commander of Task Force Ranger during Operation Gothic Serpent. This military operation took place in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993. It was led by American forces during the Somali Civil War.

The main goal of the operation was to capture Mohamed Farrah Aidid. He was a Somali military officer wanted by the United Nations forces because of his attacks on their troops. The operation happened between August and October 1993.

The Battle of Mogadishu

Operation Gothic Serpent led to a major event known as the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. After this battle, General Garrison took full responsibility for the problems and difficulties that happened during the operation. This event effectively brought his military career to an end.

Mark Bowden, who wrote a book about the battle, described Garrison as a very dedicated military leader. He said that Garrison worked tirelessly for his country and would do anything for his soldiers. Many of the soldiers who worked under him also spoke highly of his leadership.

For example, Staff Sergeant Dan Schilling, who was part of Operation Gothic Serpent, said that General Garrison was the best general he had ever worked for. He felt that Garrison truly understood his soldiers and the situations they faced.

General Garrison retired in September 1996 as a major general. He then settled down on a ranch near Hico, Texas.

Military Awards

General Garrison received several important awards for his service in the military. These awards recognize his bravery and dedication. Some of his notable awards include: