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Bill
Krilling,
International
Rifle Coach
Honored
by
Paula
J. Randall
U.
S. Army Marksmanship Unit Public Affairs Office
COLUMBUS,
Georgia --
War
hero and coaching icon William E. Krilling, coach of the U.S. Army
Marksmanship Unit International Rifle Team, was honored March 2,
2001, during a retirement gala at the Historic Iron Works Convention
and Trade Center in Columbus, Georgia.
Bill
Krilling, 74, is retiring after nearly 53 years of federal service.
He has been the USAMU International Rifle Team coach for the past 27
years and has coached 14 USAMU Olympians, four of whom won Olympic
Medals. He was the 1998 U.S. Olympic Committee National Shooting
Coach of the Year and was an Olympic Jury Member for the 2000
Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Captain
Odderstol, Bill Krilling, and General Lee
A
decorated war veteran, Krilling received the Distinguished
Service Cross (the highest military award next to the Medal of
Honor) for his heroism during the Korean War. He is a retired U.S.
Army Master Sergeant.
More than
250 people from five different countries were present at the dinner
honoring this internationally respected shooter, coach, and judge.
Some of the VIPs attending included: Deiter Anschutz, President
of the Anschutz Rifle Corporation of Germany; Horst Schreiber, the
Secretary General of the International Shooting Sport Federation from
Germany; General Jin Sam Lee, retired Chief of Staff of the South
Korean Army; Colonel Jens Nyard, Chief Veterinarian of the Norwegian
Army; Gary Anderson, Director of the Civilian Marksmanship Program,
Camp Perry, Ohio; representatives from the National Rifle
Association; Major Gordon R. Robert, the only active duty Medal of
Honor recipient; numerous Olympic Gold Medalists from around
the country; and former USAMU Commanders.
A surprise
guest was Krilling's Company Commander in Korea, Captain Tom C.
Odderstol, who had recommended him for the Congressional Medal of
Honor. Neither had seen each other since 1953.
Five JROTC
students from Hardaway High School were the color guard, accompanied
by retired Lt. Col. Thomas Whitley and Sgt. Maj. James W. Guynn,
Hardaway JROTC instructors. Both had been assigned to USAMU.
While the
audience stood at attention, Colonel Arnold, USAMU Commander, read
the Distinguished Service Cross citation awarded in 1953. He noted
that it had never been officially presented to Bill. Colonel Arnold
concluded his remarks declaring that Bill was a National Sports
Treasure which lead to a standing ovation and rousing applause for Krilling.
Press release provided by U.S. Army Marksmanship
Unit Public Affairs Office (706) 545-5436.
Click here
to go to Pilguns.com web site and view Scott Pilkington's excellent
story and his extensive photo coverage of Bill Krilling's retirement dinner.
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