World War II Honoree

Willis A. Fouracre

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Worcester County, Massachusetts

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ONE OF THE ‘BOYS OF DOUGLAS’ WHO SERVED DURING THE WAR. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 3RD BATTALION, 32ND INFANTRY REGIMENT, 7TH INFANTRY ‘HOURGLASS’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, EASTERN MANDATES, LEYTE, AND RYUKYUS CAMPAIGNS. HIS REGIMENT SAILED FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO PORT OF EMBARKATION ON APRIL 15, 1943 AND ASSAULTED ATTU ISLAND IN THE ALEUTIAN ISLAND CHAIN OFF ALASKA ON MAY 11, 1943. HIS UNIT ATTACKED ACROSS FROZEN TUNDRA TO TAKE JARMIN PASS ON MAY 17, 1943, CLEVESY PASS ON MAY 21, 1943, AND FISH HOOK RIDGE ON MAY 27, 1943. JAPANESE RESISTANCE COLLAPSED ON ATTU BY MONTH’S END. SAILED FROM THE ALEUTIANS ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1943 AND ARRIVED IN HAWAII ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1943. HIS REGIMENT ASSAULTED HEAVILY DEFENDED KWAJALEIN ATOLL IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS ON FEBRUARY 1, 1944 AND AFTER HEAVY COMBAT, WAS MOPPING UP BY FEBRUARY 5, 1944. ASSAULTED LEYTE ISLAND IN THE PHILIPPINES ON OCTOBER 20, 1944. HIS REGIMENT SEIZED BURI AIRSTRIP ON OCTOBER 27, 1944 AFTER BITTER FIGHTING. THEN, ATTACKED TOWARD ORMOC AND FOUGHT THE BATTLE FOR SHOESTRING RIDGE ON NOVEMBER 23, 1944, AND FOUGHT OFF NUMEROUS JAPANESE COUNTERATTACKS IN THE BAMBOO THICKETS. ASSAULTED OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS ON APRIL 1, 1945, MADE SLOW PROGRESS IN HARD FIGHTING AND WITHSTOOD THE ONLY MAJOR JAPANESE COUNTEROFFENSIVE OF THE RYUKYUS CAMPAIGN ON MAY 4-5, 1945. HIS UNIT ATTACKED ENEMY POSITIONS COVERING SHURI ON MAY 26, 1945, SEIZED KEY TERRAIN, AND FOUGHT THE BATTLE FOR HILL 95 FROM JUNE 5-11, 1945. NEXT, STORMED AND CAPTURED HILL 89 NEAR MABUNI, WHERE A JAPANESE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS WAS LOCATED. HIS REGIMENT WAS ENGAGED IN GROUND DEFENSE AND INTERNAL SECURITY OF THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF OKINAWA WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE ALLIED UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS AND HOSTILITIES ENDED ON AUGUST 14, 1945. THEN, SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES IN KOREA AFTER THE END OF THE WAR, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 8, 1945. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, SILVER STAR, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE ARROWHEADS (3 AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT LANDINGS) AND 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (4 CAMPAIGNS), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR SERVICE BY HIS REGIMENT IN THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN DURING THE PERIOD OCTOBER 17, 1944 TO JULY 4, 1945. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.