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Colonel William Benedict Nolde, born on the 8th of August 1929, was an officer in the United States Army during the Vietnam War, serving as an advisor to the South Vietnamese. 11 hours before the truce began, on the 27th of January 1973, he was killed by shell fire.

Nolde was the last official American combat casualty in the Vietnam war. While other Americans died after the truce was enacted, Nolde's was the last death to be recorded before the ceasefire, the 45'914th confirmed death during the conflict.

The colonel was buried on February 5, 1973 in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery. As the last official combat casualty, his funeral was attended by 'considerably more brass than the funeral of a field-grade officer would normally command'¹ including General Alexander Haig.

At CMU (Where Nolde was once a CMU military science professor) the William B. Nolde Scholarship was established in memory of the Colonel by students, family and friends. The William B. Nolde Lecture Series takes place every two years and invites various politicians, professors and military leaders to lecture on the importance of leadership.

¹http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wbnolde.htm

External links and references

• http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wbnolde.htm
• http://www.news.cmich.edu/archived/index.asp?id=1208
• http://www.cm-life.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/03/15/4417a28616011?in_archive=1
• Vietnam. A War Lost And Won- Nigel Cawthorne.