William L. Ford Service Award

Presented by the Staff of the United States Field Artillery Association for outstanding service contributions to the community.

William L. Ford (Bill) was born on 16 December, 1942, in Shawnee, OK. He completed the University of Oklahoma Army ROTC program in 1964 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Field Artillery. Ford attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Ft. Sill before being stationed at Camp Page in the Republic of South Korea. He was the firing platoon leader of the MGR-1 Honest John rocket system attached to the 1st Republic of Korea Army. The Honest John rocket system was the most forward deployed tactical nuclear weapon system at that time. During his time in South Korea, Ford and his men were credited with saving the lives of over 50 villagers near Chuncheon, South Korea from ravaging flood waters in June 1965. In 1966, Ford returned to Ft. Sill to serve as a Training, Advising and Counseling Officer at the Field Artillery Officer Candidate School. After his release from active duty, He transitioned to the U.S. Army Active Reserves where he served in the 95th Infantry Division as a Committee Chief for Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Polk. After he was discharged from the USAR in 1971, Mr. Ford returned to Shawnee to work at the family business, Shawnee Milling Company. In 1979, Bill became the third President of Shawnee Milling Company which has grown into one of the leading independent mills in the United States. For over four decades, Ford has invested his time, energy, and resources to advance the interests of Oklahoma business and economic development, education, Veteran welfare, Veteran recognition, the University of Oklahoma Army ROTC program, and the OU Army ROTC alumni association. In 2005, he helped organize a committee to oversee the creation of a Shawnee Veterans Park. This park prominently features 10 panels which list all the fallen from Oklahoma from the Spanish-American War to today, representing over 6,600 names. As a community leader and philanthropist, Mr. Ford has been on the Board of Directors with ONEOK, the Board of Trustees for the University of Oklahoma Foundation, the Board of Trustees of Oklahoma Baptist University, the Oklahoma State University Division of Agriculture Advisory Board, the Last Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts, and many others. For over 30 years, he has served as Head of the Field Artillery Officer Candidate School Alumni Association and on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Field Artillery Association, both at Ft Sill. Over the span of 60 years, Bill has never stopped his active involvement in supporting the King of Battle.  Mr. Ford is the first recipient of the award named in his honor, The William L. Ford Service Award for his continued dedication to service in support of his community.