(KNZA)--A Hiawatha man has been inducted into the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame.

Retired Colonel William “ Bill” Vonderschmidt is among two that joined the ranks of honored service members during an induction ceremony held Sunday in Topeka.

Vonderschmidt served more than 40 years with the Kansas National Guard, retiring in 2006. 

The hall of fame has honored soldiers who served from the Civil War through the Vietnam War.
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Retired Col. William “Bill” Vonderschmidt

Retired Col. William “Bill” Vonderschmidt was born in Falls City, Nebraska, and attended Hiawatha High School, graduating in 1964.  He enlisted in Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2^nd Battalion, 130^th Field Artillery Sept. 30, 1965. In the spring of 1968, he was attending the Kansas National Guard Officer Candidate School when his unit was mobilized for federal duty.  OCS Class Number 12 was accelerated and Vonderschmidt was commissioned a second lieutenant and reported for active duty on May 13, 1968, along with many other Kansas Guardsmen.  While on active duty, he completed the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course and the Jungle Operations Training Course, after which he was sent to Vietnam and assigned to the 1^st Infantry Division as a forward observer and aerial observer from January through December 1969.

Vonderschmidt completed the Field Artillery Advanced Course in 1978 and the Command and General Staff College Nonresident Course in 1985 and many other military schools.

His assignments included various staff positions and commander of Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 130^th Field Artillery.  He also served as the commander of the 1^st Battalion, 127^th Field Artillery and commander of the 130^th Field Artillery Brigade and several positions within the 35^th Division Artillery.

Vonderschmidt was also branch qualified as an engineer officer.  He held numerous staff assignments, including the director of Facilities Engineering for the State Area Command for nearly eight years.  He was assigned as the deputy commander of State Area Command in July 1999 and later as the deputy commander of the Kansas Army National Guard and his final assignment was the chief of the joint staff, Joint Forces Headquarters Kansas - Land Component, Kansas National Guard.  Vonderschmidt retired in 2006 with more than 40 years of commissioned and enlisted military service.

Among Vonderschmidt’s awards are the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal, Vietnamese Service Medal with four Silver Stars, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm Citation, Air Crew Wings, and numerous other awards and decorations.

Vonderschmidt is active in many organizations within his community.  Recently, he served as the president of the Brown County Chapter of Quail Forever, which provides youth hunting education, clay shooting and fishing derby opportunities.  He was instrumental in establishing a new game habitat for the Klinefelter Farm of Highland Community College.  He has been involved in the honor guard of Brown County.  He is also involved with the community Memorial Day service, Veterans Day Celebration and is a frequent speaker at his church.