Mr. Bill Herzer
My Instructor, Mr. Bill Herzer, Sensei
Mr. Bill Herzer, originally from
Alexandria
,
Virginia
, moved to
Murfreesboro
,
TN
, in 1965, to attend
Middle
Tennessee
State
University
. He began his Martial Arts training
in 1966, with Judo. In 1967, he
began his karate training, under Sensei Jimmy Kittrell.
Years later, he continued his karate training under the direct
supervision of Sensei C.T. Patterson.
He left MTSU in 1969 to serve the next four years in the Army Infantry.
He served in
Germany
,
Vietnam
and with the 10th Special Forces, attaining the rank of Captain.
In
Vietnam
, he was awarded the bronze star medal for Valor, the Army Commendation medal
for Valor and two purple hearts. While
in the military, he trained in Gojo Ryu and Tae Kwon Do.
In 1973 he left the Army, to return to MTSU to continue his
college and karate education. He
immediately resumed his karate training with Newton Harris, at the Murfreesboro
Bushido School of Karate, where he received his black belt and took over as the
owner and Chief Instructor in 1974. He
completed his Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1973 and his Masters in Biology
in 1975. In 1975, he began his work
in medical research at
Vanderbilt
University
in
Nashville
.
In 1984, he completed his Bachelor Degree in Nursing and
worked part-time in the emergency room in
Murfreesboro
, and later in
Pittsburgh
.
In 1982, he turned over the business and day to day running
of the
Karate
School
, to his senior student, Mr. Bill Taylor. He
continued to teach the advanced classes and train at the school.
In 1991 Bill Herzer moved to
Pittsburgh
,
PA.
, where he continues to work in research. He
still visits
Murfreesboro
, TN., several times a year, to teach and train.
He also teaches karate in
Pittsburgh
. Mr. Bill Taylor, 6th
Dan, Mr. Ronald Tucker and Ms. Sharon Woodruff, both 5th Dan’s, are
his senior students.
Bill Herzer has trained with various
weapons, competed in many point tournaments, fought as an amateur in full
contact karate and helped train full contact fighters.
He also competed in triathlons, from sprint to half iron man and swims in
Master swimming where he recorded top ten times.
He is a member of the US Eastern
Wado-Ryu Karate Do Federation Board of Directors and Black Belt Examination
Board.
