World War II Honoree

William Herbert York

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Burbank, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps December 11, 1942 at Los Angeles, California, with recruit training at the Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. After his graduation from boot camp, he was selected to attend the Marine Corps parachute training program at Camp Gillespie, located in the area of San Diego, California. Along with additional training; he was transferred to the First Marine Amphibious Corps, and deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations. He served as a “Paramarine” Rifleman; assigned to Lime Company, Third Parachute Battalion, and First Parachute Regiment, attached to the Third Marine Division. His unit participated in the Battle of Bougainville Island. On Thursday, December 9, 1943 he was fatally wounded, during offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the U.S. Armed Forces Cemetery, Finschaffen #5 British New Guinea. In the post-war era, this Marines’ family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Camp Butler National Cemetery, located at Springfield, Illinois, with interment February 21, 1949. In his Memory and Honor, this American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.