World War II Honoree

William J. Purcell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New Hyde Park, New York

Honored By

His Family

WENT ASHORE WITH THE ARMY 280TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION AT OMAHA BEACH IN NORMANDY. UNIT TRAVELED FROM NORTHERN FRANCE TO AACHEN WHERE THEY SAW ACTION IN THE HUERTGEN FOREST AND BATTLE OF THE BULGE. MOVED ACROSS GERMANY TO THE ELBE RIVER AS PART OF THE 9TH ARMY. HIS FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION SUPPORTED ELEMENTS OF THE 82ND AIRBORNE AS THEY CROSSED THE ELBE TO CONCENTRATION AND PRISON CAMP AT LUDWIGSLUST. THE UNIT ASSISTED IN OVERSEEING THE BURIAL OF THE BODIES FROM THE CAMP IN THE VILLAGE GREEN BY THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN. TRANSPORTED THE MANY FRENCH AND BELGIAN PRISONERS OF WAR ALONG WITH THE CONCENTRATION CAMP SURVIVORS TO HANNOVER AS THEIR FIRST STOP TO FREEDOM AND RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND. DISCHARGED IN 1945 FROM ACTIVE DUTY.