Olympic Ace Facing First Pistol Test

Marine Shooter Fires For Trip To Mexico City

The fierce pressure of Olympic competition settles on the flint-hard shoulders of Maj. William W. McMillan, an MCRD officer attached to the Weapons Training Battalion at Camp Pendleton, this weekend.

The major, a 6-footer weighing 200 pounds, will be firing his specialty, rapid fire pistol, in the Olympic Tryouts at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas.

He won a Gold Medal for the United States in the 1960 Games at Rome with 587 points out of a possible 600, which mark tied the world record at that time. This mark since has fallen, and McMillan once shot 599 in a match at Quantico which, because of the shooting rules, could not be validated in national competition.

The 39-year-old officer, whose eyes are so sharp that both right and left can read the bottom of the eye chart, carries a fearsome burden in his lack of recent competition. He last shot at the July Pan-American Games in Winnipeg in 1967. In addition, he'll be using an experimental .22-cal. pistol which he has been firing only a month-and-a-half.

The pistol, basically High Standard in design, has weight forward on the barrel to reduce recoil. This is done through a series of gas-escape baffles. In addition there's a rubber buffer in the receiver to assist the slide in returning quickly to the closed position. The pistol cost $3,000 to make.

It is essential that the pistol not recoil outside the inner bulls eye ring, since McMillan must fire a string of five shots at five different targets in four, six and eight second intervals. The range is 25 meters, roughly 27 yards. The 10-ring bull's eye is oblong in shape and measures 3 inches by 4 inches.

McMillan won his last competition at Winnipeg with 581 x 600, but, though he was the highest American, he placed 12th at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. There he shot 587, close, but not close enough, to the winning 592 fired by a Finn, Pentti Linnosvuo, a personal friend.

"I've been to his home," McMillan says. "We're good friends. He's a great shot. He owns a sporting goods store in Helsinki."

McMillan and his family of a wife and three children live at 1440 Buena Vista Way in Carlsbad. He has been in the Marine since he was 17 and has served in Korea and Vietnam. He rose through the ranks from private, getting his commission after Korean service. He is a native of Turtle Creek, Pa., just southeast of Pittsburg, but has never hunted deer in that buck-rich state - or anywhere else - only rabbits, grouse and pheasants. He used to raise beagle hounds.

The major never fired the pistol till 1949 when he took up the sport to dodge the job of "policing" brass on the range.

McMillan has been running three miles a day, doing 20 to 30 pushups at a time and squeezing a rubber ball. He has been watching his eating habits.

"You've got to be in complete focus when you're shooting," he says. "That means coordination, timing, and reflexes. You hold your arm at 45 degrees, call 'Pull', and there go the targets. You can't call anything back.

In Texas he'll stay away from fried foods, probably eat soft-boiled eggs and stay away from bacon and port. He'll center on bland foods.

"Diet's the most important thing when you get this far," he says.

He has been firing the championship course three or four times a week at Camp Pendleton since his last competition. But it's not the same as standing up there in the shooting tunnel and firing against another good shot - like Staff Sgt. Ed Teague of the Air Force.

"Watching him makes me nervous," McMillan says, "he's so fast."

Teague, who once shot a 590, will be in the field at AFB Lackland - his home base for tryouts. The qualified team will consist of four pistol shots, which helps some.

San Diego Union, July 7, 1968

Olympic Shooters Named

SAN ANTONIO, Tex. (UPI) - Four U.S. servicemen, including one former Olympic Gold Medal winner, won places on the U.S. Olympic shooting team Monday following the national rapid fire pistol and three position small bore rifle championship.

Marine Maj. William McMillan of San Diego, Calif., the 1960 Olympic champion at Rome, and Army S.Sgt. James McNally of Seattle, Wash., will represent the United States in the free pistol. McMillan won the pistol championship with a three-day score of 1,772 out of a possible 1,800.

Lt. John Writer of La Grange, Ill., and Maj. John Foster of Springfield, Ohio, tied for first place in the small bore with 3,438 out of 3,600 and both earned positions on the team. Writer won the national championship in shoot off.

Army Capt. Margaret Thompson of Topeka, Kan., trying to become the first woman to ever represent the U.S. on its Olympic shooting team, took a temporary lead in the small bore competition.

She shot 397 out of 400 in both the prone and kneeling positions - her kneeling score tying a record - but could not keep up the pace and finished third.

Olivario Vaques, a member of the Mexican Olympic team, shot a perfect 400 in the prone position of the small bore rifle competiton.

Names as alternates on the team were Air Force T. Sgt. Leslie Foster of San Antonio and S. Sgt. Alfred Richards of North Manchester, Ind. in the free pistol and Thompson and Marine W.O. David Boyd of Quantico, Va. in the three position small bore rifle.

Unknown newspaper, July 18, 1968

Major W. W. McMillan Will Compete In 1968 Olympics

Maj. William W. McMillan, WTBn. XO, earned a berth on the U.S. Olympic pistol team Monday by out shooting the entire field of competitors during three days of Armed Forces Competition at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

Major McMillan fired 1,772 out of a possible 1,800 points to break his own personal record of 1,768 which he fired in tryouts for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

During the three days at Lackland, the Major also earned 1st place in the U.S. Amateur Championship.

A gold medal winner in the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he will again represent the United States this summer in Mexico City.

He begins final training for the Olympics September 15, when he will begin high altitude firing in Santa Fe, N. M. After some preliminary practice there, he will fly to Denver, Colo., where the U.S. Olympic pistol team is to be formed. After two weeks practice with the Olympians in Denver, he will fly to Mexico City for the 1968 Olympic Games.

The Major's .22 caliber pistol, designed specifically for competition shooting, malfunctioned during one of his rapid fire relays, causing the weapon to commence automatic fire with three rounds left in the pistol. The malfunction caused one of the rounds to miss the target completely, and threw another round out of the desired impact area. Even with this malfunction, the Major still only dropped 28 out of the possible 1,800 points.

Maj. McMillan will compete on the Olympic pistol team with one other member of the Armed Forces, Army SSgt. James McNelly, who fired a 1,760.

MCRD Chevron, Friday, July 19, 1968

County Native To Compete In Olympics

Marine Corps Major William W. McMillan, a native of Allegany County and the only American to have won a gold medal in Olympic pistol competition, has gained a berth on the U.S. Olympic rifle and pistol team.

McMillan, who was born at Borden Shaft [Correction: Frostburg], will be making his fourth Olympic appearance at Mexico City this fall. In 1952, he competed in the Olympic Games at Helsinki, Finland, and in 1960 he took the rapid-fire pistol event at the Olympics in Rome with a score 147 x 150 in a special shoot off against the Russian and Finnish comtenders. He also competed in teh 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

McMillan's family moved to Turtle Creek, Pa., near Pittsburgh, and he graduated from Turtle Creek High School in 1946. He enlisted in the Marines upon graduation and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1953 after a tour of duty in Korea. He now resides in San Diego, Calif.

Maj. McMillan's other shooting accomplishments are:

1957, National Pistol Champion; 1958, World Pistol champion in competition at Moscow; 1959, 1961 and 1962, first pistol shooter to win the Lauchheimer Trophy three times [Correction: five times, including 1954, 2d Place and 1955, 1st Place]; 1962 Distinguished International Shooter Badge as member of U.S. team which placed second in International Shooting Union Competitions at Cairo, Egypt; 1964, United States Rapid Fire Pistol Champion, qualifying for Olympic in Japan.

Cumberland Evening Times, September 6, 1968

Gold Medalist's Pistol Is Warm

SANTA FE — Gold Medalist Marine Maj. William McMillan of San Diego, Calif., said Wednesday he's getting his pistol warmed up for the Mexico City Olympics.

McMillan, who won his Gold Medal at Rome in the 1960 Olympics, had reported trouble in getting his pistol ready this week while training in Santa Fe with the current U.S. Olympic pistol team.

But he scored a 297 of a maximum 300 on a rapid fire pistol range Wednesday and reported, "I think it's okay now."

Another pistol marksman on the team, Navy PO 1.C. Don Hamilton of Brookline, Mass., said he's had trouble getting up to par but attributes it to difficulty in getting mentally keyed rather than the high altitude.

"I worried about this before comming here," Hamilton said about the high altitude training, but I haven't found it made much difference after the first couple of days."

Albuquerque Journal, September 19, 1968

8 Navy, 3 Marines On U.S. Olympic Squads

By MEL JONES

WASHINGTON — Eight Navy and three Marine Corps athletes will be competing in the Olympics at Mexico City October 12-27.

Two other Marines and a Navy officer will also be in the U.S. contingent, as coaches or managers.

When American shooters step up to firing lines, they'll include a couple of internationally renowned pistol champs. Marine Maj. William McMillan, gold medal shooter in the 1960 Olympics, and Aviation Machinist's Mate First Donald Hamilton, this year's U.S. International Free Pistol champion, are on the team. McMillan is stationed at MCRD San Diego; Hamilton at the Naval Air Facility, Andrews AFB, Md.

The boxing contingent will also muster a Navy man and a Marine. Airman Albert Robinson, All-Navy featherweight champ, normally stationed at NAS Alameda, Calif., will be tying on gloves. So will Sgt. Arthur Redden, light-heavy All-Marine and Interservice champion for the past four years. His home base is MCB Camp Lejeune, N.C.

THE ONLY Sea Service representative on the U.S. track team will be 1st Lt. Bill Reilly, former Penn State star who has been running with MCB Quantico, Va., for the past two years. He'll leg the 3000 meter steeplechase at Mexico City.

Michael Barrett, who coached SubLant's winning All - Navy basketball five this year and later starred on Navy's Interservice championship team, is on the U.S. hoop team in Mexico.

The rest of Navy's athletes will participate in water sports.

Two Long Beach, Calif., Naval Station ensigns - Stanley Cole and Russell Webb - are water polo medal hopefuls. As civilians, they were on the gold medal winning 1967 Pan American Games roster.

On the American canoe team will be Hospital Corpsman Third William H. Jewell, two-time national kayak champ who was also on the 1964 U.S. Olympic canoe team. He's usually practicing at NAS Los Alamitos, Calif.

A GOLD MEDAL winner in the last Pan American Games, Lt. (jg) Lawrence Hough, assigned to the Naval Command Systems Support Activity in Washington, D.C., will be trying for a rowing medal at Mexico City.

And Seaman Bernie Wrightson has hopes in the diving competitions. This year's three meter AAU diving champ, he's stationed at the Long Beach Naval Station.

Camp Lejeune's boxing coach, 1st Sgt. Raymond Rogers, will be an assistant coach with the U.S. Olympic Boxing team, while Maj. George E. Ottot, of Quantico's Physical Fitness Academy, will manage American weightlifters.

The U.S. track and field team will be managed by Comdr. Ben Lewis, on leave from his job as Physical Fitness Branch, Navy Special Services, in Washington.

Navy Times, October 9, 1968

Carlsbad Marine Competing In Olympics

By SHARON MORGAN

CARLSBAD - A Carlsbad Marine is competing for his second Olympic gold medal in Mexico City.

It was learned Wednesday that Lt. Col. Bill McMillan is one of two rapid fire shooters competing for the United States team.

According to McMillan's wife, he won a gold medal in 1960 during the Olympics held in Rome.

Mrs. McMillan reported that her husband left well over a month ago to train with other team members in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the similar altitude environment to Mexico City.

From there she said he went to Denver where the team had further orientation to the famous games. They left Denver on Oct. 3 for Mexico City.

Mrs. McMillan reported that she believes he is scheduled to shoot on Oct. 23 although she was not certain.

Rapid fire shooting is pistol shooting at five targets within a short period of time.

McMillan is also the only Marine to win both the Marine Corps pistol and rifle matches in one year.

His wife reported that he had been shooting since childhood, but didn't develop as a serious sportsman until about 1949. She gave considerable credit to the Marine Corps for his training.

"I really hope he wins one (a gold medal), " Mrs. McMillan said, but explained that his 39 and age can be detrimental to a shooter.

McMillan is using a United States manufactured gun issued to athletes for the events. Mrs. McMillan explained that this compares with supposedly excellent Russian equipment which is government issued.

While away Mrs. McMillan reported that her husband was promoted to L. Col. He is scheduled to go to Vietnam shortly after his return to Carlsbad.

Blade-Tribune, October 17, 1968

Marine Aims for Medals

CARLSBAD - Lt. Col. William McMillan is competing for a second Olympic Gold Medal in Mexico City.

The Camp Pendleton Marine is entered in the rapid fire shooting contest. He won a Gold Medal during the 1960 Olympics in Rome and competed in the Olympics in 1952 and 1964.

His wife here said he hoped to bring home another medal this time.

"But even if he doesn't win a Gold Medal, at least he has won a promoted from Major since his departure from home more than a month ago, she said.

Mrs. McMillan, who is keeping up on Olympic activities at her home, said his chances for an Olympic victory were almost shot down by thieves in Mexico City.

His pistols were stolen in Mexico City but officials returned them in three days.

McMillan, 39, is one of two rapid fire shooters on the U.S. pistol team. He uses a regulation pistol issued for athletes in the Olympic event.

McMillan, who is executive officer of the Weapons Training Battalion Range at Camp Pendleton and attached to the Recruit Marksmanship Training Command at the Marine Corps Depot, has won numerous shooting awards.

He also is the only Marine to have won both the Marine Corps pistol and rifle matches in one year.

Mrs. McMillan said her husband has been gone over a month. He first left for a practice session in New Mexico and then continued on to Mexico City.

The McMillan's have three children, Billy, 12, Karen, 9, and Matt, 4.

Their father has been shooting since childhood when his father interested him in guns and took him hunting. But Mrs. McMillan attributes much of his success to training in the Marine Corps.

When he returns from Mexico, McMillan will have little time to unpack his bags.

He'll be leaving prior to Thanksgiving, his wife said, for a 13-month tour of duty in Vietnam. "It's hard on the family to have him gone, she said, "but, we're very proud of him."

Evening Tribune, October 1968

Carlsbad's McMillan Is Behind 1960 Pistol Pace

MEXICO CITY (UPI) - The United States was pinning its last hopes for an Olympic shooting gold medal on two crack shots who both turned the trick at the Tokyo games four years ago.

After suffering a string of disappointments, the American shooting team, on the last day of competition, will play its two trump cards from the last Olympics - Army Capt. Lones Wigger and Lt. Gary Anderson.

They are entered in the free rifle event where Anderson, of San Anselmo, Calif., will defend the gold medal he won in Tokyo. Wigger, of Carter, Mont., captured his gold medal in another event the three position small bore rifle competition.

"They are both tough competitors." team Captain Harry Reeves, of Andrews, N.C. said. "They do not fold under the pressure of tension-packed Olympic competitions."

Pressure will be heavy on Wigger and Anderson because only they can makeup for the setbacks suffered by the U.S. shooting team so far.

At Tokyo American marksmen captured seven of the 18 medals, including the two gold. On the eve of the last day of competition at Mexico the meager harvest has been two silver despite sensational performances at training sessions just before the games started.

Tuesday's competitions brought new failures to add to the gloom in the American camp.

Marine Maj. William McMillan of Carlsbad, Calif., a gold medal winner at the Rome games in 1960, was down to 28th place at the half-way stage of the rapid-fire pistol competition. His score was 290 points.

Polish Army Maj. Jozef Zapedski is leading the hand-gunners-competition, racking up 298 points after 30 of the 60 shots were fired.

The other American entry, Army S.Sgt. James McNally of Columbus, Ga., is further down the list at 285 points, good for 41st spot.

McNally dropped only one point after the first 20 shots and was leading the pistol competition at this stage. Then he blew all medal chances by dropping 14 points in the two four-second series of five shots each.

McNally said a bit of nervousness crept in on him as he was leading the competition after the eight-second and six-second series and "my four-second series just would not go right."

McMillan said he could offer no excuse for his below-average performance.

"It was just one of these days - I mean off-days." he said.

In Tuesday's skeet shooting competition. Robert Rodale of Allentown, Pa., wound up in 16th place with 190 hits. Air Force Sgt. Earl Herring of San Antonio, Tex., placed 19th for a score of 189.

Evgeny Petrov of Russia won the gold medal after a three-way shoot off with Romao Garagnani of Italy and Konrad Wirnhier of West Germany. They all shot down 198 of the 200 flying clay targets in the regular competition.

Blade-Tribune, October 23, 1968

"The United States Pistol Team will try to remove the supremacy of the European countries in the Olympic Games. (left to right) Arnold Vitarbo, Donald Hamilton, Franklin C. Green, Coach, McMillan and James McNally"