William Pelham Yarborough | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | "Father of the Modern Green Berets" |
| Born | May 12, 1912 Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Died | December 6, 2005 (aged 93) Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States |
| Buried | Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States SECTION 4 GRAVESITE 3099-D |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1931–1971 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Service number | 0-202362 |
| Unit |  Infantry Branch |
| Commands | 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion 473rd Infantry Regimental Combat Team 1st Battle Group, 7th Infantry Regiment 66th Counterintelligence Corps Group United States Army Special Warfare Center/School for Special Warfare I Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit with 3 oak leaves Bronze Star Italian Bronze Medal of Military Valor Italian Cross for Valor French Croix de Guerre with Palm Eulji Order of Military Merit |
Lieutenant General William Pelham Yarborough (May 12, 1912 – December 6, 2005) was a senior United States Army officer. Yarborough designed the U.S. Army's parachutist badge, paratrooper or 'jump' boots, and the M42 airborne jump uniform. He is known as the "Father of the Modern Green Berets."[1] He was descended from the Yorkshire House of Yarborough. Yarborough was a distant cousin to such British noble figures as the Baron Deramore, Lord Alvingham, the Duke of Buccleugh and the Marquess of Bath.
- ^ Zimmerman, p. 11