World War II Honoree

William E. Ekman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Sarasota, Florida

Honored By

The Ekman Family

Relationship

Children & Grandchildren

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY IN JUNE 1932, ENTERED THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY IN 1934, AND GRADUATED FROM U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY IN 1938. AS COLONEL, AT 31 YEARS OLD, ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE COMBAT HARDENED 505TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION ON MARCH 21, 1944 AND COMMANDED THE REGIMENT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1947. HE LED THE GALLANT MEN OF THE REGIMENT IN THE PARACHUTE INVASION OF NORMANDY - LIBERATING THE FIRST TOWN IN OCCUPIED FRANCE, STE MERE EGLISE; IN THE AIRBORNE INVASION OF HOLLAND AT NIJMEGEN; IN THE BULGE AND THE BLOODY ARDENNES-ALSACE CAMPAIGN; THROUGH THE SIEGFRIED LINE AND IN RHINELAND CAMPAIGN; ACROSS THE ELBE RIVER IN THE CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGN; AND THE OCCUPATION OF BERLIN. RECEIVED DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, TWO SILVER STAR MEDALS FOR GALLANTRY, THREE BRONZE STARS FOR GALLANTRY MERITORIOUS SERVICE, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, MASTER PARACHUTE BADGE WITH TWO PARACHUTE ASSAULT STARS AND SPEARHEAD DEVICES, JOINT SERVICE COMMENDATION MEDAL, ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (FRANCE), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, U.S. ARMY GENERAL STAFF BADGE, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE JOINT STAFF BADGE, FRENCH FOURRAGERE, 2 FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, BELGIUM FOURRAGERE, BELGIUM ORDER OF THE BRONZE LION, AND THE RUSSIA ORDER OF THE PEOPLE'S WAR. HE RETIRED IN 1968 AFTER 36 YEARS OF HONORABLE SERVICE. DIED IN MAY 1979; BURIED AT U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY, WEST POINT, NEW YORK.