World War II Honoree

William A. Christiano

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bloomfield, New Jersey

Honored By

Mr. Anthony Christiano

Relationship

Son

ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION, COMPANY A, 16TH INFANTRY, 'BIG RED ONE'. HIGHEST GRADE HELD, TECHNICAL SERGEANT. WITH 443 COMBAT DAYS, 8 MAJOR CAMPAIGNS AND 3 BEACH HEADS. ALGERIA-FRENCH MOROCCO, ARDENNES, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, CENTRAL EUROPE, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, SICILY AND TUNISIA. RECEIVED THE BRONZE STAR WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PURPLE HEART WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN SERVICE MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD, VICTORY MEDAL WWII AND THE NEW JERSEY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, ARMY PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AWARD WITH TWO OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE. WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION: GELA, SICILY ON JULY 11, 1943, NORMANDY D-DAY ON JUNE 6, 1944. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A 16TH INFANTRY IN EVERY WAR SINCE THE REVOLUTION. MEN OF THE MODERN DAY 16TH HAD A REPUTATION TO LIVE UP TO. THEY HELPED TO DEFEAT THE ELITE TROOPS OF GENERAL ROMMEL'S AFRICA CORPS IN TUNISIA. DEFEATED THE 10TH AND 15TH PANZER DIVISIONS AT THE BATTLE OF EL GUETTAR. THEY MADE THE 2ND BEACH HEAD AT GELA, SICILY AGAIN. THEY HAD TO FIGHT TANKS TO SURVIVE. THIS IS WHERE HE EARNED HIS FIRST PURPLE HEART. HE WAS SENT TO AFRICA TO HAVE SHRAPNEL REMOVED FROM HIS LEG. THEN BACK TO SICILY, WHERE THEY EMBARKED FOR ENGLAND. THE 16TH INFANTRY HAD BEEN ONE OF THE UNITS CHOSEN TO SPEARHEAD THE INVASION OF NORMANDY, OMAHA BEACH, FRANCE. AS A DEMOLITION SERGEANT, HE WAS ABLE TO BLOW TWO HOLES IN THE BARBWIRE, CLEARED A PATH THROUGH THE MINE FIELD BEFORE HE WAS WOUNDED A SECOND TIME. RETURNING FROM THE HOSPITAL, HE WAS IN TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BREAKOUT AT ST. LO. RODE THE TOP OF TANKS IN THE MAD DASH ACROSS NORTHERN FRANCE. HIS UNIT WAS THE FIRST TO CAPTURE GERMAN SOLDIERS IN GERMANY AND BREACHED THE SIEGFRIED LINE. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS A SERIES OF BATTLES. AT WAR'S END, THEY WERE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA. HIS REGIMENT RECEIVED 6,896 PURPLE HEARTS DURING 443 COMBAT DAYS.