World War II Honoree

William Dean Hill

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

St. Joseph, Missouri

Honored By

Children & Grandchildren

ENTERED THE ARMY AT FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS ON 2 AUGUST 1944. COMPLETED INFANTRY BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP FANNIN NEAR THE TOWN OF TYLER, TEXAS. DEPARTED THE UNITED STATES FROM FORT MEADE, MARYLAND ON 3 JANUARY 1945 AND ARRIVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ON 15 JANUARY 1945. FOUGHT IN EUROPE WITH 1ST SQUAD, 1ST PLATOON, 'CHARLIE' COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 393RD INFANTRY REGIMENT, 99TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE ARDENNES, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPEAN CAMPAIGNS. LANDED AT THE PORT OF LE HAVRE AND MOVED TO A REPLACEMENT DEPOT AT GIVET, FRANCE. ENTERED THE FRONT LINES AS A REPLACEMENT AT THE ELSENBORN RIDGE (BELGIUM) IN JANUARY 1945 DURING THE FINAL DAYS OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. WOUNDED IN THE RIGHT LEG BY MORTAR FIRE ON 4 FEBRUARY 1945. CROSSED THE RHINE RIVER VIA THE LUDENDORF RAILROAD BRIDGE AT REMAGEN, GERMANY ON 11 MARCH 1945. CROSSED THE DANUBE RIVER WHILE UNDER ENEMY FIRE AT HIENHEIM, GERMANY ON 27 APRIL 1945. SERVED AS RIFLEMAN, 1ST SCOUT, 2ND SCOUT, ASSISTANT SQUAD LEADER AND INFANTRY SQUAD LEADER IN COMBAT. PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF SERGEANT. PERFORMED OCCUPATION DUTY AT KASSEL, GERMANY AS THE SQUAD LEADER OF THE 3RD SQUAD, 4TH PLATOON, 'EASY' COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 30TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION. THEN IN MARCH 1946, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO BATTERY C, 379TH ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY BATTALION WHERE HE PROVIDED RAILROAD-RELATED SECURITY BETWEEN KASSEL AND GIESSEN: MEETING TRAINS, LOADING MAIL, AND SECURING PX CARS AT RAIL STOPS. HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES ON 11 MAY 1946. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, MISSOURI ON 16 MAY 1946. HIS DECORATIONS AND AWARDS INCLUDE THE BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL AND COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE.