World War II Honoree
Killed In Action
William S. Coons
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
HIS REGIMENT STAGED AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON DECEMBER 24, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JANUARY 4, 1945 AND ARRIVED IN ITALY ON JANUARY 13, 1945. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN ITALY, IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTOUSA) WITH THE 85TH MOUNTAIN INFANTRY REGIMENT, 10TH MOUNTAIN 'MOUNTAINEERS' DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORTH APENNINES, AND PO VALLEY CAMPAIGNS. THE DIVISION ENTERED COMBAT ON JANUARY 8, 1945 NEAR CUTIGLIANO AND ORSIGNA. DIVISION TROOPS SCALED THE STEEP SARASICCIA-CAMPANIA CLIFFS AND TOOK THE GERMANS BY SURPRISE ON THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 18-19, 1945 TO SEIZE THEIR OBJECTIVE. HIS REGIMENT TOOK PART IN THE MAIN ATTACK ON THE BELVEDERE-GORGOLESCO HILLMASS, BEAT OFF ENEMY COUNTERATTACKS AND TOOK THE SUMMIT ON FEBRUARY 20, 1945. THEN ADVANCED AGAINST MT. TORRACCIA AGAINST STRONG GERMAN OPPOSITION AND SEIZED THE CREST ON FEBRUARY 24, 1945. HIS UNIT WAS COMMITTED TO THE ATTACK ON MARCH 5, 1945, TOOK MT. DELLA SPE, AND THEN FOUGHT OFF ENEMY COUNTERATTACKS. PRIVATE COONS WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON APRIL 14, 1945 DURING THE PO VALLEY CAMPAIGN WHILE THE DIVISION WAS ON THE OFFENSIVE IN THE PRA DEL BIANCO BASIN. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (2 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.