World War II Honoree

William Carl Neely, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Little Rock, Arkansas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE SHORTLY AFTER THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 2ND DEFENSE BATTALION ON PALMYRA ATOLL, AN INCORPORATED TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES, LOCATED ALMOST DUE SOUTH OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, ROUGHLY HALFWAY BETWEEN HAWAII AND AMERICAN SAMOA. PRIMARY DUTY WAS THE DEFENSE OF THE NAVAL AIR STATION ON THE ISLAND. ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLES AT SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS IN 1944, AND OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS IN 1945. SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES IN NAGASAKI, JAPAN AFTER THE WAR. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.