World War II Honoree

William J. Gunn

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Weymouth, Massachusetts

Honored By

BSA Troop 9 Weymouth & R. M. Thomas

Relationship

Friends

AWARDED A SILVER STAR, PURPLE HEART, WWII VICTORY MEDAL. CORPORAL. BRAVED DEATH TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO SUPPLY AMMUNITION TO HIS UNIT DURING AN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE JAPANESE AT CAPE GLOUCESTER. DURING THE NIGHT COUNTER ATTACK AMMUNITION WAS RUNNING LOW. JAPANESE HAD INFILTRATED THE LINES AND WERE PEPPERING AWAY AT THE NARROW, KNEE DEEP MUD PATH. IF THE AMMUNITION WAS NOT CARRIED FROM ONE TERMINUS OF AN AMPHIBIAN TRACTOR RUN TO THE LINE PROPER, THE CORPORAL'S UNIT WAS THREATENED WITH ANNIHILATION. PRODDING AND DRIVING HIS MEN AND TAKING HIS REGULAR TURN AT CARRYING THE PRECIOUS CARGO THROUGH THE GAUNTLET. HE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO HIS UNIT'S EVENTUAL VICTORY. HE HAD BEEN WOUNDED TWICE PREVIOUSLY IN ENGAGEMENTS IN GUADALCANAL, WAS WOUNDED AGAIN AND AS A RESULT OF THIS WOUND IT WAS NECESSARY TO AMPUTATE HIS RIGHT LEG.