World War II Honoree

Willim A. Otis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Fairfax County, Virginia

Honored By

Joyce Otis Willis

Relationship

Sister

PRIVATE. ENLISTED ON OCTOBER 13, 1943. BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP BARKLEY, TEXAS; COMPANY A, 65TH BATTALION. FORT GEORGE MEADE; FORT MEADE, MARYLAND; CAMP REYNOLDS, PENNSYLVANIA; GREENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. MAY OF 1944 DEPLOYED TO EUROPEAN THEATER, MEDICAL DETACHMENT, COMPANY A, 3RD BATTALION, 22ND REGIMENT WHERE HE SERVED AS A MEDIC. ON JUNE 6, 1944, LANDED ON UTAH BEACH. ON NOVEMBER 17, 1944 WAS FIGHTING IN THE HUERTGEN FOREST AND WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED BY GERMAN MACHINE GUN FIRE WHILE ADMINISTERING AID TO A WOUNDED SOLDIER. AWARDED PURPLE HEART AND BRONZE STAR POSTHUMOUSLY FOR SERVICE. ALSO AWARDED EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. INTERRED IN THE U.S. CEMETERY AT HENRI-CHAPPELLE, BELGIUM AND LATER RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES AND INTERRED AT NATIONAL MEMORIAL PARK, FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA.