World War II Honoree

William 'Wild Bill' Guarnere

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE WAS A NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER WITH EASY COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 506TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, IN THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY DURING THE WAR. PRIOR TO THIS, WHILE UNDERAGE, SPENT 3 SUMMERS AT COMBAT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER TO BECOME AN OFFICER IN THE U.S. ARMY. THE PROGRAM WAS CANCELED DUE TO WAR. AFTER ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR AND SIX MONTHS BEFORE GRADUATION, HE LEFT SCHOOL AND WORKED FOR BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS, MAKING SHERMAN TANKS. RETURNED TO SCHOOL AND GRADUATED IN 1941. ON AUGUST 31, 1942 HE ENLISTED IN THE PARATROOPS AND STARTED TRAINING AT CAMP TOCCOA, GEORGIA. MADE FIRST COMBAT JUMP ON D-DAY AS PART OF THE ALLIED INVASION OF FRANCE. EARNED THE NICKNAME 'WILD BILL' BECAUSE OF HIS RECKLESS ATTITUDE. HE WAS VERY ANGRY AT GERMANS BECAUSE HIS ELDER BROTHER, HENRY, HAD BEEN KILLED IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN AT MONTE CASSINO. A TERROR ON THE BATTLEFIELD, HE FIERCELY ATTACKED THE GERMANS HE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH. ON JUNE 6, HE JOINED UP WITH A LIEUTENANT AND A FEW OTHER MEN TRYING TO REACH THEIR OBJECTIVE, TO SECURE THE SMALL VILLAGE OF SAINTE-MARIE-DU-MONT. JOINED HIS LIEUTENANT IN ASSAULTING A GROUP OF FOUR 105MM HOWITZERS AT BRÉCOURT MANOR. HE WAS NAMED SECOND PLATOON SERGEANT. WOUNDED IN MID-OCTOBER 1944 WHILE EASY COMPANY WAS SECURING THE LINE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RHINE. AS THE SERGEANT OF SECOND PLATOON, HE HAD TO GO UP AND DOWN THE LINE TO CHECK ON AND ENCOURAGE HIS MEN, WHO WERE SPREAD OUT OVER A DISTANCE OF ABOUT A MILE. WHILE DRIVING A MOTORCYCLE, HE WAS SHOT IN THE RIGHT LEG BY A SNIPER. THE IMPACT KNOCKED HIM OFF THE MOTORCYCLE, FRACTURED HIS RIGHT TIBIA, AND ALSO LODGED SOME SHRAPNEL IN HIS RIGHT BUTTOCKS. HE WAS SENT BACK TO ENGLAND ON OCTOBER 17. HE WALKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL IN SEVERE PAIN. HE WAS CAUGHT BY AN OFFICER, COURT-MARTIALED, DEMOTED TO PRIVATE, AND RETURNED TO THE HOSPITAL. WAS FINALLY SENT BACK TO THE NETHERLANDS TO BE WITH HIS OUTFIT. HE ARRIVED AT MOURMELON-LE-GRAND, JUST OUTSIDE REIMS. SENT TO THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN BELGIUM, ON DECEMBER 16. BECAUSE THE PAPERWORK DID NOT ARRIVE FROM ENGLAND ABOUT HIS COURT-MARTIAL AND DEMOTION, HE WAS PUT BACK IN HIS SAME POSITION. WHILE HOLDING THE LINE JUST UP THE HILL SOUTHWEST OF FOY, A MASSIVE ARTILLERY BARRAGE HIT THE MEN IN THEIR POSITION. HE LOST HIS RIGHT LEG IN BATTLE WHILE TRYING TO HELP HIS WOUNDED FRIEND. DUE TO THIS INJURY, HIS PARTICIPATION IN THE WAR CAME TO AN END. RECEIVED THE SILVER STAR FOR COMBAT DURING THE BRECOURT MANOR ASSAULT ON D-DAY, AND WAS LATER DECORATED WITH TWO BRONZE STARS AND TWO PURPLE HEART MEDALS.