World War II Honoree

Dwight Carlton Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Edina, Minnesota

Honored By

Leslie Williams

Relationship

Niece

SERVED WITH THE 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION, 86th Infantry. Trained at Camp Hale, Colorado. HIS was one of the first regiments to be deployed and departed on December 11 on the USS Argentina. On the evening of 18 FEBRUARY 1945, HE AND MEN FROM HIS INFANTRY, climbed a steep 2000 foot snow covered ridge at night, surprising the German defenders at dawn AND took the ridge with minimal casualties. The next day they were to take Mount Belvedere, which was the highest point, but a 6 day battle ensued with many casualties. HE moved up through the Apennine Mountains to Northern Italy and eventually to the NORTHEAST corner of Lake Garda to the town of Nago, arriving on the morning of 30 April 1945. It had been raining all night; HE AND SOME OTHER MEN had slept outside. WHEN four GERMAN officers attempted to escape in a Jeep, A skirmish ensued AND HE WAS FATALLY SHOT. HE IS BURIED AT the American Cemetery just outside Florence, Italy. IN HIS MEMORY, His parents dedicated a park BEARING HIS NAME IN Edina, MINNESOTA.