Press Release
The Charleston RiverDogs and Boeing will host their first Hall of Honor induction ceremony of 2022 prior to Wednesday night's Boeing Military Appreciation Night at The Joe. The ceremony will recognize Secretary William Grimsley of the South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Lietenant Colonel Bill Walsh of the United States Air Force as the fifth class of inductees.
The Hall of Honor is the most recent addition to Boeing and the RiverDogs joint military appreciation platform, which aims to honor and celebrate military families in the Lowcountry through various recognition programs. The team inducted two classes of two inductees each over the last two years.
At each Boeing Military Appreciation Night a minimum of two inductees will be enshrined into the Hall of Honor. A community military committee chooses the inductees from a long list of nominees, including many who are nominated through the Hall of Honor's public nomination link.
All inductees will be recognized on the field on a Military Appreciation Night, and will have their story told on the RiverDogs' Hall of Honor web site.
The ceremony will take place on the field at The Joe at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, May 18th prior to that night's 7:05 pm first pitch against the Augusta GreenJackets.
About the Inductees
Secretary Grimsley graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina in May 1980 with a B.A. in History and was commissioned in the U.S. Army as an Infantry officer. Throughout the next 33 years he served in assignments throughout the United States, Germany, Korea, Kuwait, multiple combat tours in Iraq, and deployments to numerous other nations.
Grimsley held command and leadership positions at every level from platoon through corps and served on staffs from small unit levels up to both the Joint Staff and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; with his last tour as Chief of Staff of United States Strategic Command. Among his many awards and decorations, Grimsley earned the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, multiple awards of the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.
He completed every level of officer education and training, and the Army also afforded him the opportunity to earn two Master's Degrees; one in Advanced Military Arts and Sciences, and one in National Security Strategy. Grimsley also completed Executive Education at the University of North Carolina Business School and holds a Doctor of Education degree from Creighton University with a concentration in organizational leadership.
Retiring from active duty in 2013 as a Major General, Grimsley consulted in the private sector with his primary focus on training, leader development, strategic planning, and operations; and served as President and CEO of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation. On March 4, 2020 he was confirmed by a unanimous vote as the first Secretary of the new South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs. He and his family live in Beaufort, SC.
Liuetenant Colonel Bill Walsh recently retired from the United States Air Force Reserve, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served 23 total years in the United States Military.
Lt. Colonel Walsh served in operation Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and others, including missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Germany, South America and Asia as part of the 315th Airlift Wing. His U.S. Navy service included assignments on the U.S.S. George Washington and U.S.S. John F. Kennedy aircraft carriers and battle groups. He served his final four years with the United States Special Operations Command as one of the elite Para-Commandos.
Lt. Colonel Walsh’s decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Air Force Meritorious Service Medals, Air Force Commendation Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Global War on Terror Medal among others.
Individual tickets to all home games are still available. Season tickets, Dog-E Coin plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are already available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).
