World War II Honoree

William Frazier Furr

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Aberdeen, Mississippi

Honored By

William Frazier Furr

Relationship

Nephew

ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY IN AUGUST 1943 AT FORT MCPHERSON, GEORGIA. ATTENDED 'MULE HANDLER' TRAINING AT CAMP PICKETT, VIRGINIA AND ATTENDED A SPECIAL COURSE IN INFANTRY WEAPONS AND MINOR TACTICS FROM NOVEMBER 14, 1943 TO MARCH 3, 1944 AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TRAINING, HE REJOINED HIS UNIT, COMPANY D, 309TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 78TH INFANTRY DIVISION. THE 309TH FIRST SAW COMBAT ON DECEMBER 13, 1944 AS PART OF A MAJOR OFFENSIVE TO CAPTURE THE ROER RIVER DAMS NEAR SCHMIDT, GERMANY. THE UNIT’S FIRST ATTACK, NORTH AND EAST OF MONSCHAU, GERMANY, QUICKLY RESULTED IN A STALEMATE ON DECEMBER 15TH. THEY HELD THIS POSITION FOR THE NEXT MONTH, DURING WHICH TIME THE GERMANS LAUNCHED THEIR ARDENNES OFFENSIVE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE). THE 309TH INFANTRY REGIMENT'S POSITION LAY CLOSE TO THE MAIN SUPPLY ROUTE FOR THE NORTHERN END OF THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE. THE 309TH RESUMED THE OFFENSIVE IN LATE JANUARY 1945. ON FEBRUARY 9TH, THE 309TH WAS MOVED INTO THE RECENTLY ABANDONED GERMAN POSITIONS AT THE EDGE OF THE GREAT SCHWAMMENAUEL DAM. THIS POSITION WAS SUBJECTED TO INTENSE ARTILLERY AND MORTAR FIRE. ON FEBRUARY 10TH, HE WAS HIT IN THE SHOULDER BY A PIECE OF SHRAPNEL. HE WAS TREATED BY A MEDIC BUT DIED ON THE WAY TO AN AID STATION. BURIED ON FEBRUARY 11, 1945 IN AMERICAN MILITARY CEMETERY, MARGRATEN, HOLLAND. ON FEBRUARY 24, 1945, HIS MOTHER WAS NOTIFIED OF HIS DEATH BY WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM WITH A LETTER ARRIVING FROM THE UNIT CHAPLAIN SOON THEREAFTER.