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William Mershon Terry

William Mershon Terry
William Mershon Terry
Personal details
Birth nameWilliam Mershon Terry II
Born29 December 1920
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died1973
Fairfax County, Virginia
NativityUnited States
ReligionProtestant
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN01825893
RankCaptain
Rank at RitchieSecond Lieutenant
Camp RitchieClass 20 (19 June – 16 August 1944)
Section6B
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William Mershon Terry II (29 December 1920 – 1973) was a United States Army officer who trained and taught at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, in Class 20, and later became a leading U.S. fisheries official.

Biography edit

William Mershon Terry II was born on 29 December 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of Paul Herbst and Elinor Weston Terry. Raised in New Castle and Wilmington, Delaware, he earned a B.A. from the University of Delaware in 1942.

Terry enlisted as a private in the Army Air Forces in 1942, attended technical schools at Chanute Field, Illinois, and was commissioned a second lieutenant after Tank Destroyer OCS at Camp Hood, Texas. In 1944 he transferred to military intelligence, took a photo-intelligence course at Camp Ritchie (Class 20), and instructed in terrain intelligence, tactics, and intelligence technique there in 1944–1945. Later in 1945 he joined the G-2 section of General Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces Pacific, in the Philippines and Tokyo.

Discharged as a captain in 1947, Terry stayed in Japan with SCAP’s Natural Resources Section on postwar Japanese whaling and fisheries work, then built a long civilian career culminating as director of international affairs for NOAA. He died in 1973.

Research notes edit

  • Also SGTC 14 PI
  • PI 206
  • Folder title “Terry William Terry” matches William Mershon Terry II / Terry, William M. (01825893)—not Terry, Ben.

Gallery edit

  •  
    William Mershon Terry II portrait (National Cyclopedia; RB Archive)
  •  
    William Mershon Terry II biographical entry page mentioning Camp Ritchie (RB Archive)

Technical record edit

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 53
Class_ASN 1825893
Class_Name TERRY, William
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline edit

  • 29 December 1920 — Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • 1942 — B.A., University of Delaware; enlisted in Army Air Forces.
  • 1943–1944 — Tank Destroyer OCS, Camp Hood; commissioned 2nd lieutenant.
  • 1944 — Photo-intelligence course at Camp Ritchie (Class 20); later instructor there.
  • 1945 — G-2, GHQ AFPAC (Philippines; Tokyo).
  • 1947 — Discharged as captain; continued SCAP fisheries work in Japan.
  • 1951–1973 — U.S. Fish and Wildlife / NOAA international fisheries career.
  • 1973 — Died.

Sources edit

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