World War II Honoree

Kenneth A. 'Butch' Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Milbank, South Dakota

Honored By

Darrel Ahles

Relationship

Nephew

INDUCTED AT ORTONVILLE, MINNESOTA ON FEBRUARY 10, 1941. SERVED WITH 135TH INFANTRY, COMPANY L, 34TH DIVISION, U.S. ARMY. HE WAS IN BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS AT ALGERIA-FRENCH MOROCCO, TUNISIA AND ITALY. HE WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION ON FEBRUARY 7, 1944. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART AS WELL AS THE MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH 3 BRONZE STARS, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER CAMPAIGN RIBBON, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE RIBBON AND GOOD CONDUCT RIBBON. HE WAS A LIGHT MACHINE GUNNER AND A MESSENGER DISPATCHER IN THE FRONT LINE COMMAND POST, DELIVERED ORDERS AND MESSAGES FROM COMMAND POST TO UNITS IN FRONT AND TO THE REAR AND WAS WOUNDED IN THIS ENDEAVOR. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN JULY 1944. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM SCHICK GENERAL HOSPITAL, CLINTON, IOWA FEBRUARY 24, 1945.