World War II Honoree

William Wheeler Bassford

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Watertown, Connecticut

Honored By

Jeff McCulloh

Relationship

Neighbor

Enlisted in 1943. Served in 1941-1943 as a Boy Scout Civil Defense plane spotter. Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment. Then transferred to the 2nd Armored Cavalry in March, 1944. Fought in Europe. awarded the Bronze Star for valor in November, 1944 after he crawled under heavy machine fire and blew up a German machine gun nest that had pinned down his platoon. He also received the Good Conduct, Occupation and WWII Victory medals and the French and Belgian Croix de Guerre.