World War II Honoree

William Herman Fischer

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Richard E. Manzer

WAS UNDER THE KITCHEN SINK WITH HIS DAD REPLACING PIPE WHEN HE HEARD THAT PEARL HARBOR HAD BEEN ATTACKED. HE ENLISTED SOON AFTER AND ENTERED THE ARMY WHEN HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY AND THEN ON TO FLORIDA FOR HIS ADVANCED INFANTRY TRAINING. HE WAS A BAZOOKA MAN IN AN ANTI-TANK PLATOON. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 80TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND WAS SHIPPED TO ENGLAND AND WENT TO THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT IN NOVEMBER OF 1944. THE 80TH INFANTRY DIVISION WAS SENT UP TO THE FRONT LINES AT LUXEMBOURG. SOON THE GERMANS WOULD ATTACK IN WHAT WE CALL THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. THE 80TH INFANTRY DIVISION WAS SENT NORTH WITH GENERAL GEORGE PATTON'S FORCES AND RELIEVED THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION WHO HAD BEEN SURROUNDED AND BESIEGED BY GERMAN FORCES AT THE STRATEGIC CROSSROADS AT BASTOGNE. FOR THIS VALIANT RESCUE, THE 101ST HONORED EVERY MAN IN THE 80TH DIVISION WITH BLUE SCARVES. THE 80TH INFANTRY DIVISION CONTINUED TO FIGHT ACROSS GERMANY THROUGH BAVARIA. THEY WERE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA WHEN GERMANY SURRENDERED.