World War II Honoree

Billy Burl 'Bill' Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Cleveland, Pawnee County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT MARINE CORPS BASE, NAVAL OPERATING BASE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 2ND MARINE 'SILENT SECOND' DIVISION DURING THE WAR. CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION INCLUDED: THE SAIPAN-MARIANAS OPERATION, AND CAPTURE AND OCCUPATION OF TINIAN. SERVED IN HAWAII; AND FOUGHT IN COMBAT ON SAIPAN FROM JUNE 15-JULY 9, 1944, AND ON TINIAN FROM JULY 24-AUGUST 10, 1944, BOTH IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS; AND SERVED AT IE SHIMA AND OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS. THEN SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES ON OKINAWA AND IN JAPAN IN 1945-46, AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (3 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 WITH THE RANK OF CORPORAL AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.