World War II Honoree

William R. Cassaday

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Hammond, Indiana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps May 20, 1940 at Chicago, Illinois, with recruit training assigned to Ninth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was selected for Sea Duty AKA: Soldiers of the Sea. also assigned to a Marine Detachment in San Diego. Following the training, he was transferred to the USS Houston II Heavy Cruiser CA-30 for duty. The Cruiser and her shipmates participated in the Naval Battle of Sunda Strait, Dutch East Indies Campaign. On the night of February 28 and March 1, 1942 the Houston and an Australian Cruiser engaged a major Imperial Japanese Naval Force. During the ensuing battle, both Allied ships were sunk by enemy cannon fire and torpedoes. Reported missing in action, lost at sea, when his warship went down. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. Later his missing in action status, ultimately declared killed in action December 15, 1945. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at Arlington National Cemetery Location: Fort Myer Arlington, Virginia. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.