LTC (Ret) William E. Hattaway

Funeral services with full military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 22 at First Baptist Church in Copperas Cove for LTC (Ret) William E. Hattaway, who passed away peacefully on May 19 at his home in Kempner, TX.

Born in 1933 in Atmore, AL to Fonzie and Louise Hattaway, Bill spent the first six years of his life on a family cotton farm where he picked cotton alongside his mother, an endeavor which laid the groundwork for his steadfast work ethic that followed him throughout his life.

When his family moved to Pensacola, FL Bill recalled, “I spent weekdays delivering newspapers before the start of school and weekends at Brownsville Baptist Church.” While attending Pensacola High School, he lettered in football and excelled in math. Upon graduation in 1950, he worked at Gulf Power Company for three years before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and that same year married the love of his life, Mary Louise Black.

Following his graduation from Officer’s Candidate School in 1954, he spent the next two years as a fixed wing pilot in Korea, returning to Ft. Rucker, AL where he earned his helicopter pilot training and was selected to serve as a instructor in the Department of Rotary Wing. In 1960, he attended the Advanced Course at Ft. Benning, GA and soon transferred to Nuremberg, Germany serving in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment as a patrol pilot on the Czechoslovakian/East German border. In 1964, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of Nebraska, and subsequently assumed command of Headquarters Company 512 AIB, Ft Hood, TX. He joined the 1st Airmobile Cavalry Division in 1965 and deployed to Vietnam with C Co 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion. Returning in 1966, he served in III corps Aviation, attended Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, KS and completed the Helicopter Instructor Examiner Course Ft Rucker, AL before being reassigned to Ft Hood as the 1st AD Aviation Officer. In 1969, he assumed command of the 1/13th Tank BN 1st AD, and then spent a year in London, England with the Army Standardization Group. Once again, returning to Ft Hood, Bill finished his military career as a Test Officer with the ACCB Directorate at MASSTER Hdqrs. and retired in 1973. A career defined by much success, his awards include: the National Defense Service Medal w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Army Aviator Badge, Armed Forces Reserve medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device and 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal with Valor Device and Numerals 13, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Meritorious Unit Emblem.

In 1974, Bill and Mary started Hattaway Construction and over the next thirty eight years they developed subdivisions and built residential and commercial properties in Lampasas, Bell and Coryell counties.

He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Mary Black Hattaway, his cherished wife of 60 years, parents, Louise and Fonzie Hattaway, and beloved in laws, Gillis and Eddie Bell Black.

Left to cherish his memory are children Bridget Hattaway of Copperas Cove, Ed Hattaway of Austin, Brett Hattaway of Kempner; grandchildren Jared Mullins of Killeen, SGT Jake Mullins and wife, Mary, of Grafenwoehr, Germany, Austin Hattaway of Kempner, Abby Hattaway of Georgetown, Jade Fox of Florence, great grandchild Carsyn Mullins, sister Amelia Harvell and brother Dan Hattaway, both of Pensacola, Florida, along with numerous nieces, nephews and a multitude of treasured friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made in his name to the Foundation of the First Cavalry Division Association, 302 N. Main St., Copperas Cove, TX.

Visitation is this Wednesday, May 21st from 6 to 8 pm. at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Copperas Cove. Following the memorial service on Thursday, May 22nd, LTC (Ret) Hattaway will be laid to rest at the Central Texas State Veteran’s Cemetery in Killeen.