William T. Buford Military Record, 1941/1952

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

William T. Buford Military Record, 1941-1952, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
0.70 Linear Feet
Creator:
United States. Army and Buford, William T.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

William T. Buford Military Record, 1941-1952, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

Official Army records of William Tucker Buford's military service from his enlistment in 1941 to his dismissal from service in 1952 due to a guilty plea after being court martialed. Buford was an African American service member who served in World War II and quickly rose to the rank of First Lieutenant by 1949. In 1943 Buford also received a diploma for completing the engineer officer course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Throughout his career, Buford served in multiple locations including Louisiana where he was in charge of an engineering unit, and California where he was appointed commander of the 795th Engineer dump truck company at Camp Roberts. He remained with that company as it transferred from Camp Roberts to Fort Lewis, Washington. Buford's undoing with the Army occurred while he was stationed in Korea with EUSAK (Eighth United States Army in Korea). He was charged with selling lumber to a South Korean man in excess of 100 dollars. Buford plead guilty to the charge and his sentence was dismissal from the service, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and two years of hard labor. This record includes some photographs of Buford along with the companies in which he served or commanded.

Biographical / historical:

Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .