World War II Honoree

William Phillip Mueller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Honored By

Peter William Mueller

Relationship

Son

HE ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES ON OCTOBER 6, 1939, IN PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. SAILING ABOARD THE ARMY TROOP SHIP 'REPUBLIC' VIA THE PANAMA CANAL TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, HE ARRIVED ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 13, 1939, WHERE HE WAS STATIONED AT SCHOFIELD BARRACKS. HE SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY, 19TH INFANTRY, 24TH INFANTRY DIVISION, COMPANY D, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO THE STATES ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 13, 1941. DECEMBER 7, 1941, THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE FORCES ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, OAHU, HAWAII. HE WAS ACTUALLY AT PEARL HARBOR PREPARING FOR HIS FINAL CHECK OUT FIGHT IN ORDER TO GET HIS PRIVATE PILOT’S LICENSE WHEN THE ATTACK BEGAN. FOLLOWING THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HE VOLUNTEERED FOR SPECIAL TASK FORCES AND WAS SOON SENT TO CANTON ISLAND FOR SIX MONTHS OF INTENSIVE COMBAT TRAINING. IN MAY 1943, HE REJOINED THE 19TH INFANTRY, 24TH INFANTRY DIVISION AT SCHOFIELD BARRACKS TO SAIL TO ROCKHAMPTON, AUSTRALIA FOR JUNGLE WARFARE TRAINING, THEN ONTO PAPUA, NEW GUINEA WHERE HE REMAINED IN CONSTANT COMBAT FOR OVER A YEAR. HIS COMBAT MISSIONS INCLUDED MANY AREAS OF PAPUA, NEW GUINEA AND INTO HOLLANDIA, NETHERLANDS, NEW GUINEA. HE WANTED TO REMAIN IN COMBAT, BUT WAS ORDERED TO RETURN HOME AGAINST HIS WISHES DUE TO SEVERE COMBAT WOUNDS, MALARIA, DYSENTERY, DENGUE FEVER, AND JUNGLE ROT. HE SAILED OUT OF MILNE BAY, PAPUA, NEW GUINEA ON HIS BIRTHDAY JUNE 9, 1944, ARRIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA ON JULY 1, 1944. HE SERVED A YEAR OF CADRE DUTY AT CAMP CROFT, SOUTH CAROLINA AND WAS GIVEN AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE ON JUNE 15, 1945 AT FORT DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS. HIS MANY COMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL G0 70 ASF WDPC 45, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER CAMPAIGN RIBBON, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, PEARL HARBOR COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL AND OTHER CAMPAIGN CITATIONS.