World War II Honoree

William Martin Held

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps January 6, 1942 at Chicago, Illinois, with recruit training assigned to the Eighth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton Oceanside, California for combat training. Following basic and advanced infantry training, he served as a Rifleman with Lima Company, Third Battalion, Second Marine Regiment an element of the First Marine ‘the Old Breed’ Division. His Division participated in the amphibious assault on the island of Guadalcanal (Battle Dates: August 7, 1942-February 9, 1943) Code Name: Operation Watchtower Location: Southwestern Pacific Theater of Operations. Reported missing in action or buried at sea October 8, 1942. 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. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.