World War II Honoree

Virgil E. Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Ozark, Arkansas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY IN 1937. COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AT FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA. HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE SERVICE IN 1940. AFTER 90 DAYS, RETURNED TO ARMY SERVICE DUE TO THE WAR IN EUROPE AND THE PROBABILITY OF U.S. ENTRY IN THE WAR. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 66TH ARMORED FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 4TH ARMORED DIVISION AS A SERGEANT IN CHARGE OF A GUN CREW. LANDED IN FRANCE ACROSS UTAH BEACH IN JULY, 1944. PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN A DRIVE TO RELIEVE THE AMERICAN UNITS SURROUNDED BY GERMAN FORCES AT BASTOGNE, BELGIUM. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL (GERMANY), AND THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM. AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR HEROIC COMBAT ACTIONS BY HIS UNIT WHILE HE WAS ASSIGNED. RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN 1945 AND CONTINUED IN SERVICE UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF MASTER SERGEANT.