The William J. "Lipp" Livsey Drill Field at the University of North GeorgiaThe plaque commemorating Livsey adjacent to the William J. Livsey Drill field at the University of North Georgia
In 1953, Livsey served his first combat tour as platoon leader with the 3rd Infantry Division in South Korea. He commanded his first company with the 30th Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1954. From 1958 to 1961, he served in Germany as a company commander in the 2nd Armored Rifle Battalion, 36th Infantry, 3rd Armored Division. He served his second combat tour in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 with the 4th Infantry Division as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (Operations), and as the Commander, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry of the 3rd Brigade Task Force.
In May 1971, Livsey took command of the 2nd Brigade 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Carson. He later returned to Fort Carson in 1974 to serve as the Assistant Division Commander (Support) and as the Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) for the 4th Infantry Division until June 1976. From July 1977 to May 1979, he was the Commanding General of the Infantry Center and Commandant of the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Other notable assignments include, I Corps Chief of Staff in Korea, Executive to the Army Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C., and Southeast Asia, staff officer in the Office of Research and Development, and leadership instructor at West Point.
In May 1984, and until his retirement on 30 June 1987, Livsey served as Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command/Commander-in-Chief Combined Forces Command/Commander, United States Forces, Korea/Commanding General Eighth United States Army.
In October 2008, a portion of Highway 314 in Fayetteville, Georgia was renamed as the "General Bill Livsey Highway" in Livsey's honor. Numerous active and retired military leaders, including Major General Jack Wheeler, were in attendance. Also in attendance was HeroBox, a non-profit organization that sends custom care packages to American soldiers.
On 18 April 2009, the drill field at the center of the University of North Georgia's campus was renamed the William J. "Lipp" Livsey Drill Field in Livsey's honor. A commemorative plaque bearing Livsey's likeness was added near the reviewing stand.[3]
On 18 August 2015, Livsey was arrested for allegedly assaulting Ryan Irvin, a food delivery man for a local Chinese restaurant, and resisting arrest in Fayetteville, Georgia. Meanwhile, the restaurant wanted to drop the incident entirely.[4][5] He died on 18 June 2016, at the age of 85.[6]
