World War II Honoree

William W. 'Bill' Most

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Chelsea, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE AT AGE 17 AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1944. ASSIGNED AS A REPLACEMENT AND SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 22ND MARINE REGIMENT, SIXTH MARINE 'STRIKING SIXTH' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE OKINAWA GUNTO OPERATION IN 1945, THE LAST MAJOR LAND BATTLE OF THE WAR. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESUPPLYING AMMUNITION TO FRONTLINE UNITS. HIS REGIMENT WAS ON GUAM IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS PREPARING FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMBS WERE DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI AND THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT UNCONDITIONALLY SURRENDERED ON AUGUST 14, 1945. HIS UNIT THEN SAILED TO TSINGTAO, CHINA TO ACCEPT THE SURRENDER OF JAPANESE FORCES THERE. HE WITNESSED THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY ON OCTOBER 25, 1945, INCLUDING THE SURRENDER OF SAMURAI SWORDS FROM THE JAPANESE COMMANDING GENERAL AND HIS OFFICERS TO THE U.S. COMMANDER. RECALLS HOW EXPOSED HE FELT WHILE RIDING IN A CONVOY OF MARINE AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES THROUGH BUSY STREETS AS ARMED JAPANESE SOLDIERS LINED THE ROUTE TO KEEP THE CHINESE CIVILIAN POPULATION FROM MEETING THEIR LIBERATORS. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION AND NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS REGIMENT ON OKINAWA. AWARDED THE CHINA SERVICE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN NOVEMBER, 1946 WITH THE RANK OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.