World War II Honoree

William Lloyd Casper

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Rigby, Idaho

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps May 19, 1942 at Boise, Idaho, with recruit training assigned to the Fourth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from basic training, he was designated to attend the Marine Corps Aviation Flight Training Program. Later transferred to the Jacksonville Naval Air Station Florida, and assigned to the Eight Aviation Training Squadron. After completing airborne Gunnery Training, he served as a Gunner and Observer in the Grumman TBF Avenger Torpedo Bomber Location: Southwestern Pacific Theater of Operations, Solomon Islands. His unit was based at Henderson Airfield on Guadalcanal Island and assigned to the Marine VMTB-233 AKA: Bulldogs Squadron, Marine Air Group-11 and First Marine Air Wing. On September 16, 1943 during a bombing mission over Ballalae Island, his aircraft was struck by Imperial Japanese Anti-Aircraft ground fire. He experienced a successful bail-out and was captured by the enemy forces. Reported missing in action or buried at sea on the day he exited the bomber. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Rigby Pioneer Cemetery, Rigby, Idaho. Later his missing in action status ultimately, to read killed in action January 10, 1946. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his ultimate sacrifice.