World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
William Howard 'Bill' Rasbold
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943 AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL UNIT, THE 151ST AIRBORNE TANK COMPANY. THE UNIT TRAINED IN TECHNIQUES TO DELIVER TANKS TO THE BATTLEFIELD USING GLIDER AIRCRAFT. WHEN THE UNIT WAS DISBANDED, HE WAS TRANSFERRED AND SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 101ST AIRBORNE 'SCREAMING EAGLES' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS UNIT ALSO LIBERATED PRISON CAMPS IN BELGIUM. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES IN JULY, 1945 AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN APRIL, 1946. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.