World War II Honoree

Maurice Scott Williams, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Kansas City, Missouri

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps from Missouri. Following the completion of infantry training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands and based at Fort Mills Location: Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock. Served as a Squad Leader assigned to Mike Company, Third Battalion and Fourth Marine Regiment. His unit participated in the Battle of Corregidor against the Imperial Japanese forces (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942). Captured on the second day of the invasion, when his Commander General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy. As a prisoner, he was transferred to the Puerto Princesa Prisoner of War Camp on Palawan Island. The Palawan Massacre took his life on December 14, 1944, with burial in the Prisoner cemetery. Succeeding the cessation of hostilities with Japan, personnel from a Graves Registration Company disinterred his remains from the camp cemetery, and was laid to rest in the United States Armed Forces Cemetery Location: Leyte #1 Tacloban, Philippine Islands. The family of this Marine requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Lemay, Missouri, with interment February 14, 1952. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.