On 1 May 1962, Company D, 16th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces was activated in the Rhode Island Army National Guard. Lieutenant Colonel Everett Carlton Paice was assigned to command the unit. He was born on 23 March 1920. He served during WWII in North Africa and Italy. He entered the US Army as a Private, attended Officer Candidate School in 1942 at Camp Davis, NC and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. He was promoted to Captain by the end of the war. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star with “V” device and the Purple Heart. He was a member of the RI State Police prior to returning to active duty during the Korean War, stationed in Germany from 1951-1953. Colonel Paice graduated from the Basic Airborne Course, Fort Benning, GA on 24 February 1963 a month short of his 43d birthday. He commanded the unit until March 1963. He was assigned to the “G” staff in the HQ, RIARNG until his retirement. He was promoted to BG (RI). He died on 27 January 1998 and is buried at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
