William Percy Pinchback (“Pinch”) Jr, 90, an NSA Officer, died on 30 December 2020. He was born in Danville, VA and attended school in Robeson County, NC. After graduating from high school, he attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC. In 1947, he transferred to Storer College in Harpers Ferry, WV where he earned a BA degree in 1950 at the age of 19. He obtained temporary employment at the Census Bureau as a statistical clerk and worked on the 1950 census. When that assignment ended, he joined the Veterans Administration.
In 1952 he was drafted into the US Army. He took technical training to be a Cryptographic Operator at Camp Gordon located near Augusta, GA. He was assigned to the 97th Signal Battalion which operated the Communications Center for the Seventh US Army headquarters in Vaihingen, Germany. After completing two years of service, he returned to the US and was honorably discharged. Following military service, Bill was hired by the National Security Agency. In 1971, he received the Civilian Meritorious Service Award from the Director of the National Security Agency. Bill remained with the Agency until he retired from S321 on September 1, 1989 with 38 years of service.
He was also a Life Member of the Phoenix Society. In 1996, Bill joined the Kiwanis Club of Mitchellville and was selected as the Kiwanian of the Year in 1997. He served as president in 2001-02. Bill converted to Catholicism in 1957. He was also a lifetime member of the 97th Signal Battalion Association, and a member of the St. Matthias the Apostle Leisure Club, the Storer College Alumni Association, and the Dresden Green Civic Association. He enjoyed crossword puzzles, math problems, bowling, and watching football and basketball games. In retirement he became a wonderful cook. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Romaine Coleman, two boys and a girl, and other family.
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