The story of Sgt. Campbell starts at the beginning of World War II, with his birth in 1942. His dad, Bill Sr., left the family in Clifton, N.J., for war service as a combat engineer. He would serve again in the Korean War. Bill was at best an average student who liked to cut school to go fishing. His mother made him promise to stop cutting school and graduate, which he eventually did in 1960. He immediately enlisted in the Army and left for Fort Dix in September 1960. Completing basic and advanced training in December, Bill volunteered for and was accepted to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the unit that walks and guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Over the next 35 months Bill rose to sergeant first class and became known as one of the top NCOs in his company. During the weekend of Nov. 22-25, 1963, the entire regiment was put on complete alert with President Kennedy's assassination. On Nov. 23 Bill stood guard over the president's casket in the rotunda with more than 100 other military personnel. After being given command of the 21-gun firing team, Bill forewent his day off to train his men. On Nov. 25, with the funeral nearing its end, the order was given to Sgt. Malcolm. With the whole world watching, the order and firing sequence was commenced. Several months later, author William Manchster would interview Bill to recreate his part in history for the book "Death of a President."

Three months later, Bill re-enlisted and found himself transferred to the 2nd Armored Division in West Germany for three years under NATO. Returning to the States in 1967, Bill served 2 1/2 years as a drill sergeant at Fort Campbell, KY. In mid-1969 Bill requested transfer to the 101st Airmobile Division and Vietnam. Landing there in September 1969, he became senior NCO with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 502 pif, 101st Airborne. Over the next eight months he earned a Bronze Star and a cib. Tragically, 1st Sgt. William E. Malcolm Jr. was killed in action outside fb veghel on May 5, 1970. He was awarded a Silver Star posthumously for his actions that day. For those who will always remember Bill Malcolm, he was a patriot in peacetime and a hero in wartime.