World War II Honoree

William R. Gray

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Aston, Pennsylvania

Honored By

A Grateful American

HE ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT. HE FOUGHT IN NORTH AFRICA AND PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF SICILY AND ITALY. IN ITALY, WHILE EVALUATING THE SALVAGEABILITY OF DAMAGED TANKS NEAR THE FRONT LINES, A GERMAN TANK POPPED UP OUT OF THE BUSHES AND CAPTURED HIM AND HIS DRIVER. AFTER SURVIVING AN AMERICAN ARTILLERY ATTACK ON HIS CAPTORS, HE WAS TAKEN NORTH IN A CATTLE CAR TO OFLAG 64, A PRISONER OF WAR CAMP FOR AMERICAN OFFICERS LOCATED IN POLAND. HE WAS A PRISONER OF WAR FOR 18 MONTHS UNTIL LIBERATED BY THE RUSSIANS IN 1945.