World War II Honoree

Earl Marshall Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Charlotte, North Carolina

Honored By

Carl J. Wittfeld, Jr.

Relationship

Squadron Friend

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE JUNE 1938 AND HONORABLY DISCHARGED JULY 1940. RE-ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS MARCH 1941 AT AGE 22 AND WAS SENT TO THE ARMY AIR BASE, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. MEMBER OF THE 454TH ORDNANCE COMPANY, AVIATION, 27TH BOMB GROUP (L). IN OCTOBER 1941, HIS UNIT LEFT SAN FRANCISCO ON THE STEAMSHIP SS PRESIDENT COOLIDGE AND ARRIVED IN MANILA HARBOR, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS NOVEMBER 20, 1941. HE WAS STATIONED AT FORT WILLIAM MCKINLEY AND DEL CARMEN AIR FIELD UNTIL THE WITHDRAWAL DOWN THE BATAAN PENINSULA. CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE ARMY APRIL 9, 1942 AT MARIVELES AT THE TIP OF THE BATAAN PENINSULAR. SURVIVED THE 7 DAY DEATH MARCH TO CAMP O'DONNELL WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER AND WAS SENT OUT ON VARIOUS JAPANESE WORK DETAILS. AFTER THE DETAILS, HE WAS SENT BACK TO CABANATUAN CAMP NUMBER 3. HE SURVIVED HARSH WORK DETAILS, STARVATION, TROPICAL DISEASES AND BRUTAL TREATMENT. IN JUNE 1943, HE WAS SENT TO MOJI, JAPAN ON THE JAPANESE 'HELL SHIP' CLYDE MARU AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO OMUTA, JAPAN WHERE HE WOUND UP AT FUKUOKA CAMP NUMBER 17 AT OMUTA. HE WORKED IN THE COAL MINES THERE UNTIL HE WAS LIBERATED SEPTEMBER 17, 1945 BY U.S. MILITARY FORCES. HE WAS PLACED ON A BRITISH HOSPITAL SHIP AND SENT TO OKINAWA; THEN BY U.S. AIR FORCE PLANE TO CLARK ARMY AIR BASE IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. FROM THERE, HE WENT TO NICHOLS FIELD AT MANILA AND THEN PLACED ON THE STEAM SHIP SS KLIPFONTEIN TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. ARRIVED OCTOBER 28, 1945 AND WAS SENT TO MAGDEN GENERAL HOSPITAL. LATER HE WAS SENT BY TRAIN TO MOORE GENERAL HOSPITAL IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH 100% DISABILITY MAY 1946. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 2 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC SERVICE MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE STARS, PHILIPPINE DEFENSE RIBBON WITH A BRONZE STAR, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH BRONZE STAR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.