World War II Honoree

William A. 'Bill' Morris

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS NOVEMBER 27, 1941 AND PARTICIPATED IN COMBAT INFANTRY TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT WITH CHARLIE COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 3RD MARINE REGIMENT, A SUBORDINATE UNIT OF THE THIRD MARINE ‘FIGHTING THIRD’ DIVISION. REPORTED AS MISSION IN ACTION NOVEMBER 1, 1943 WHILE ENGAGED IN COMBAT WITH THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES DURING THE BATTLE OF BOUGAINVILLE, CODE NAME: OPERATION CHERRY BLOSSOM (INVASION DATES: NOVEMBER 1, 1943-AUGUST 21, 1945) SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1944 HE WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED KILLED IN ACTION AND BURIED AS AN ‘UNKNOWN’ IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS CEMETERY #5 AT FINSCHHAFEN, NEW GUINEA. THE JOINT PRISONER OF WAR/MISSING ACCOUNTING COMMAND ANNOUNCED IN OCTOBER OF 1949 THAT HIS REMAINS HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BY COMPARISON OF PHYSICAL AND DENTAL CHARACTERISTICS, DATE AND PLACE OF DEATH. A FAMILY MEMBER REQUESTED THAT HIS REMAINS BE TRANSFERRED, WITH INTERMENT IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, PUNCHBOWL, HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. THIS AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY, WHO SO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.