World War II Honoree

William Charles Pratt

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Children

SERGEANT. FOLLOWING BOOT CAMP, WAS SENT TO GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA TO JOIN THE, THEN FORMING, 1ST MARINE DIVISION. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO H-2-7, A RIFLE COMPANY. FROM GUANTANAMO BAY HE MOVED TO PARRIS ISLAND WITH THE 7TH MARINES. AFTER PEARL HARBOR WEAPONS COMPANY 7TH REGIMENT WAS FORMED WITH 30 & 50 CALIBER MACHINE GUNS AND 37MM ANTI-TANK GUNS. THEY MOVED TO BRITISH SAMOA FOR EXTENSIVE TRAINING. THEN ON TO THE FIRST OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE JAPANESE, AN AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT ONTO GUADALCANAL. AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF FIGHTING ON THE CANAL HE MOVED WITH THE DIVISION TO AUSTRALIA FOR A WELL-DESERVED R&R. THEN ONTO CAMPAIGNS IN NEW GUINEA AND CAPE GLOUCESTER, NEW BRITAIN. WHILE ON CAPE GLOUCESTER HE WAS WOUNDED, EVACUATED TO A HOSPITAL, THEN RETURNED TO HIS UNIT AT THE CAPE WITH HIS ARM IN A SLING. THEN ONTO PAVUVU FROM WHERE HE WAS REASSIGNED TO CAMP PENDLETON MARINE CORPS BASE, CALIFORNIA. TWO BOUTS WITH MALARIA DELAYED HIS RETURN TO PARRIS ISLAND WHERE HE WAS STATIONED FOR A SHORT TIME. HE WENT ON TO CAMP LEJEUNE WHERE HE TRAINED MARINES ON MACHINE GUNS DESTINED FOR OVER SEAS ASSIGNMENTS. HIS FINAL ASSIGNMENT IN THE U.S. MARINES WAS AT U.S. MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.