PFC Maurice Ward Williams so service in World War II from 21 Apr 1942 through separation 3 Sep 45.
He was a communication person in the 82nd Airborne. 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, Battery A
Photos of their journey
They are from Maurice Williams, Epsen Christensen, Andrew Jack Ball, and Dr. H. C. Stewart. The photos are of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium and Germany.
Documents
Documents from Epsen and Maurice range from history, marches, list of the wounded on D-Day, to letters from FDR and Bradley. It also contains things like Thanksgiving and Christmas menus and finishes with 2 newspaper articles about Epsen where he describes some of the events.
An account of Sol Marcado Page 119 is very interesting. He was in the 320th battalion (but in headquarters battery), so his history is similar to my Dads. Other general histories of the 82nd focus more on the paratroopers who were in more battles than the support units. Here are some 82nd general histories: History and History. The history of his specific battalion above of course is more informative about his specific history.
His duties: Installed, repaired and maintained permanent and semiprivate military telephones. Located site for telephone, ran wires, and made necessary connections. Operated telephone and switchboard on some occasions.
I became interested in knowing where my father served during the war. Most individual records for all service men burned years ago. I have researched online sites and have his separation and medical records which helped. His letters do not mention fighting or specific battles. He sometimes mentions the heat in Africa and the cold at the Battle of the Bulge, but most of the content is talking about home and responding to reports about my brother's progress who was born when he was on the ship to Africa. Some letters give a location. He sent money home, never mentioning he got it playing poker but my Mom knew. My Mother did not share the source of his money with her parents (a Ministr and his wife). My Grandmother just thought he was bery thrifty.
What was most amazing to me was his letter writing. My father had an eight grade education and never wrote a letter in his life during the time I knew him. He was self conscious of his spelling etc (I have a master and can't spell so I don't see it as a big deal). In WW2 he not only wrote my mother frequently (when not in battle), but wrote his mother, siblings, even his brothers-in law and friends. Although I only have one letter other than to my mother, it is clear it was a major activity. He was asking about his wife's nephews as well as his brother and friends who were all serving. He tried to see them if he could. I only wish he described more of the actual war but it was clear family and home where his thoughts. It took more than 2 weeks after he was wounded on D-Day for the government to send a telegram to Leora telling her Maurice was wounded. Even after she received a letter from him, she did not know the extent of his injuries.
Although my Father had a minimal education he always read and was interested in things. He saw several tourist things such as Stratford-on Avon, Pompeii, and Malta. I was amazed that he could do such stuff especially in a war zone. He mentions wanting to fish, an activity important throughout his life. Lots of guard duty mentioned and seeing movies and shows.
What was his job? LINEMAN, TELEPHONE & TeleGRAPh: Installed, repaired, and maintained permanent and semi-permanent military telephones. Located site for telephone, ran wires, and made necessary connections. Operated telephone and switchboard on some occasions.
The stories he told were usually told when he was cleaning his gun prior to going deer hunting in the Upper Peninsula MI.
- The most important story he told was D-Day. D-Day started actually hours before the landing. The gliders and paratroopers came in behind enemy lines to support the landing forces. My father 's glider crashed and he broke his collar bone. He awoke and appearntly was alone. I never thought to ask where they dead or just left not knowing his situation. He could not get up. He hid in the hedgerows which are very dense bushes with brambles that are 15 ft tall. He could hear some people moving around but he was scared they might be Germans. Finally he knew he had to take a chance and he spoke to someone pasing by. Fortuately he was an allied medic. He told the medic if the medic could get him up he could walk back to the evacuation area. The medic got him up and my Father got back to where they were loading wounded to take back to England. He was on the last ship before bad weather stopped the ships. He got seasick on that return. It was a few days befire he got to the rehab place in England where they could tend to the injury. He sewed leather as part of the rehap and I have his thimble. Since I was born several years later I was very aware that I would not exist if things had turned out differently so this was my favortie story.
- During trainng he was qualified as a sharp shooter although he became a Lineman and not a shooter. An officer could not pass his shootig test. He offered my Dad a dinner if he would help. My Dad helped him pass his test but never got my Dad that dinner. Dad never forgot that he did not get that dinner.
- He clealy was amused by his unit calling him the "old man" during training. He was 34 when he was drafted and much older than most who were shipped overseas. What amused him was that many men had to be picked up by the trucks as they were ready to pass out on their long training matches but he could make it. Working in the auto factory after working on a farm meant he could handle the hiking.
- After the Battle of the Bulge they moved into Germany. He shot a deer and gave it to a German family to eat as he said they were starving. They invited him to stay for dinner and he did although neither spoke the other's language. He did not blame the German people. He blamed their leaders.
- He told of a shell going past him when he was stringing line once and then it exploded. He clealy knew it could have exploded right by him and killed or maimed him.
- His unit went into a concentration camp but they volunteered and I have no idea if he did. He never told the bad stuff.
So the following is the best I have been able to resurrect from various histories of his unit and division and dates on letters.
Timeline
| 21 Apr 42 Detroit MI | Joined |
| Fort Custer MI | The first stop |
| June 42 Fort Sill OK | Basic training. Visited by his wife. He qualifies as a sharpshooter. |
| AUG 42 Camp Claiborne, LA | Where the 82nd Airborne was formed for WWII |
| DEC 42 Fort Bragg NC | Where the 82nd was moved and still its current home. He is called "the old man" because he is much older, but still manages to out-hike many younger men during training. |
| Mar 43 Maxton NC Field | Ready to be shipped overseas. |
| 29 Apr 43 - 10 May 43 | Ship to North Africa. His son John Bruce Williams is born while he is on the ship. This was the first war baby born in Mayville MI and the Dr. delivered him for free. |
| Casablanca North Africa | Oujda-Marhnia area and Kairouan |
| Sept 43 | Termini Imerse Sicily. Visited Malta. |
| 23 Sept 43 landed on the beach near Paestum, Italy (south of Salerno) | First actual action |
| NOV 43 Italy | Visited his brother Mack who was stationed 6 miles away. He liked Italy much better than Africa. He visited Pompeii. |
| DEC 43 Northern Ireland | MAY have left 18 Nov and spent 21 days aboard the USS Frederick Funston and on December 9, landed at Belfast, Ireland. The MP platoon went into quarters at Castledawson, North Ireland, but I have no verification my father was there. His letters just say N. Ireland. He liked Ireland better than the other places he had been. They spoke English. |
| FEB - May 44 Feb 1944 England | 8 Feb the Division moved to England, billeted in the Central English town of Leicester but no verification his battalion was there. In England he visited Stratford-on Avon and birthplace of Shakespeare. He had an 8 day furlough to Scotland. |
| 2 Jun 44 Northern Ireland | This doesn't make sense. It could be that he said this location on the letter because of censors |
| 6 Jun 44 D-Day | Crashed on D-Day. He had a clavicle fracture. Hid in the hedgerows unable to get up. Finally risked calling to someone who helped him get up. He made it to the beaches and last return ship. For the first time in his life he was seasick on the return voyage. |
| June - Aug 78 44 | 78 days recovery(75 hospital days) in 307th Station Hospital, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, England |
| AUG 44 | Left hospital and back to camp. |
| Sept England?? | His unit 18 - 19 Sept 1944 was in Market Basket, Groesbeck, Holland. During Sept to Dec he only wrote one letter the end of Sept labeled England and mentions a glider drop the next day. It is unclear if he was in this battle but he usually wrote more frequently in England. |
| 18 Dec 1944 Webermont, Belgium | Battle of the Bulge. This was evidently bad. It is obvious he knows the family will be worried and figure out here is. |
| FEB Germany/France | Mentions going to church in Germany but letter labeled France. At some point he shot a deer to give to a German family. He said the people were starving. They asked him to stay for dinner and he did. |
| 15 Apr 45 France | Formal photos in full uniform |
| 30 Apr 1945 | Crossing of Elbe River near Bleckede, Germany |
| 7 Jun 45 Laon France | This is were the unit signs his German flag |
| 1 Jul 45 Nurfchateau France | His unit goes on to Berlin at some point, but he has enough points so he expects to return to the US shortly. His ASR score was 108. so he waits for orders to return home. It is not clear why there are these different addresses in France instead of one spot, but they are fairly near each other. |
| 18 Jul 45 Vittel France | |
| 30 Jul 45 Thionville France | |
| 17 Aug 45 Marseille France | Ready to ship out of France |
| 22 - 26 Aug 45 | Return to US |
| 3 Sep 45 Indiantown Gap Military Reservation Center PA | Separation |
Medals
- Purple Heart
- Good Conduct Medal
- Presidential Citation Metal
- American Campaign Medal
- European_African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (single) and Silver Star Attachment (single) and Arrowhead
- WWII Victory Medal
- Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII
- Glider Badge
- The unit was awarded
- French Croix de Guerre with Palm (D-Day)
- Military Order of William (Market Garden)
- Fourragere 1940 by the King of Belgium (Battle of the Bulge)
42 Fort Custer MI |
82nd Airborne. 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, Battery A |
Early in the war. Location and date unknown |
15 Apr 1942 France. |
He was quite proud of this rattlesnake he captured at Fort Sill OK. He saved the rattles. |
|
Photos of their journey
They are from Maurice Williams and Epsen Christensen. The photos are of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium and Germany.
Flag Signers. This Nazi flag was signed by all other folk where he was in Laon France Jun 7, 1945, a year after D-Day and a short time before he returned home. The signatures contain the home towns as well as the names. List of Signatures, their home towns and status today as known.
| Name on Flag | Name on formal documents | Home town on flag | Social Security death index and any current information |
| Jim Alt | James M | Littleton NH | died 1992 |
| Ernie Arnold | Ernest P Arnold Jr | South | |
| Harold J Beaton | 437 Tamarack Laurium MI | dies 2002 | |
| Anthony Beliue | Amsterdam NY | died 2004 | |
| Don Betts | USA | ||
| E Bricker | Elmer F Bricker | Hebron IN | died 2004 |
| Eldon Bruhn | Box #27 Huroralville WI | died 1975 | |
| Bill Cable | William M | Detroit MI | died 2005 |
| Arnel C Carpenter | Arnel Clarence | Holly WV | Hacker Valley still living |
| S.C. Chance | Silver Creek MS | ||
| E.H. Christensen | Espen | Portland ME | Still lives in Portland and enjoys hearing form people |
| Prestan Clark | Alvord Texas | ||
| Richard Coats | Kenton OH | ||
| Homwe W Corager | Webster Springs WV | ||
| Bob Cullen | Hyattsville MD | ||
| Doug Davidson | Chicoper Falls MA | ||
| James Davis | Middlesboro KY | ||
| Duogner (hard to read) | ?Donald B Dugger | Dikwell IN | died 2004 |
| Charles Elder | Charles V | Chicago IL | ?died 1995 |
| Eric Ericson | Calunet MI | ||
| Henry Eyle | LaCenter WA | ||
| Bill Flynn | William J | Utica NY | |
| Joe Gartner | 5610 Wellington OH | ||
| Geo K Gerhardt | Carlisle PA | died 1997 | |
| Douglas Gray | Douglaw W | Gowan WV | |
| Maurice Harding | 311 McOmber St Dowagiac MI | ||
| John Harrington | John F | Boston MA | |
| Dewey D Harrison | 95 Spruce St Gallipolis OH | ||
| Wesley Heikkinen | Wesley W | Lauriom MI | d. 1998 |
| Henderson | Kirkwood MO | ||
| Cecil Higgins | Bee Log NC | ||
| Harold S Holder | Lorain OH | d. 1990 | |
| Charles Hudson | 1107 Sheridan Ave Chattancopo TN | ||
| Dick Hughes | Weymouth MA | ||
| N.R. Huth | Hollis NY | ||
| Carmine Integlia | 249 10th St NY NY | d. 2003 | |
| Fred B Jenkins | Roxobel NC | ||
| Clayton Johnson | Clayton C | Krotz Springs LA | |
| Fred Jones | Jackson Ohio | ||
| Robert D Jones | Mt. Vernon ILL | ||
| Matt R Jukkala | Chassell Michigan | d. 2006 | |
| E>H> Jurrganis | Eugene | Milkry Wis | d. 2004 |
| Jim Kelley | Milw. Wisc | ||
| Walter L Kiuista | Walter I | Warren Ohio | |
| John V Klag Jr. (Klag) | 4102 Rast 142 st. Cleveland OH | d. 1992 | |
| Sampy D Klinz | Box 94 Mohawk W. VA | d. 1984 | |
| John Kutyna | Jr | Chicago IL | |
| William L Lockner | 3845 Falls Rd Baltimore MD | ||
| Red Logerman | Frederick W 2nd LT | Richman Hill N.Y. | d. 1996 |
| June Lott | June R | 218 W Omeda Orlando FL | |
| Morris Means | Sharon PA | Imogene called - not good memory | |
| Hobert McComas | Mioktff W.V. | d. 1997 | |
| Corbett McYoung | G Corbell J | Blue Creek | |
| Campbell Nadden | Yonkens NY | ||
| Gilbert Nelson | Gilbert B | Brooklyn NY | |
| Charles Nestor | Charles W | Morgantown WVa | Gypsey WV age 91 |
| F.C. Oakley | Ontario CA | ||
| John A Parrish | Medina Tenn | d. 2000 | |
| Geno Passoni | Taylorville Ohio | d. 2007 | |
| Howard N Posey | Orlando W.V. | ||
| Elbert Powell | New Wahington NC | ||
| Louis Preger | Louis J | 455 Colorado Ave Lorain Ohio | d. 1987 |
| Roscoe Pugliesse | Taylorville Ohio | d. 2007 | |
| Edward Pyozko | Hamtramck Michigan | ||
| Carl R Ramsey | Carl B | Swandale W Va | d. 1997 |
John Rihiarskey/ |
Iron Mountain MI | ||
| Joe Santosky | Joseph S | Haverstraw NY | d. 1995 |
| Orville Scheibe | Edwardville Ill | d. 2004 | |
| Donald Sharp | South Bend Indiana | ||
| Fayette Shepard | Pikeville KY | ||
| E.R. Shinn | Detoit MI | ||
| Charles Shrilick | 1320 Buckman Ave Garey Indiana | ||
| H.E. Spears | Herbert E | Winterret Ohio | |
| Millard Spears | Crestview R#1 Tenn | ||
| H.L. Smith | 404 Main St. Charleston WVa | ||
| Paul Speakman | Chillicothe O | d. 17 Dec 1993 | |
| Robert Stewart | Robert H | Pinesville or Riversville W Va | |
| Pharis Taylor | Walton WAS | ||
| J.A. Tedford | Dallas TX | ||
| Joe Thorntoz | Chourni TX | ||
| Joe Tiniskey | R.F.D. #3 Phillip W.V. | d. 1969 | |
| Carl Tocado | Carl C | Beckley W Va | |
| Tozzi | Hobenken NJ | d. 1998 | |
| C.Y. Traver | Saratoga Springs NY | d. 1994 | |
| Phiny F Wagg | Wappello Iowa | d. 1998 | |
| Donald Walton | Bicknell Indiana | ||
| Nelson Warner | Nelson A Woerner | UP San | d. 1975 |
| Lluyd Weeks | Lincoln Neb | ||
| B Wellinghoff | Hamilton Ohio | d. 1988 | |
| Lathram Wells | Nicogloches Texas | ||
| Bernard Wendt | Milwaukee Wisc | d. Jan 20, 1984 | |
| Stanley J Wesley | Cleveland Ohio | ||
| Morrel Wheat | Sparks Georgia | ||
| Edward White | Edward E | Carrolton Alb | |
| Fritz Wibata | Ferdinand | Racine Wisc | |
| O.J. Wilkinson | Hamlin W Va | d. 1997 | |
| Maurice Williams | Mayville Mich | ||
| Bill Wolf | Omaha Neb | ||
| Henry R Wyroben | 752 West 103 Rd St Chicago IL Cedar Crest 952 | ||
| Ken Zeitller | Kenneth J | Brooklyn NY | d. 2001 |