In Memory of Army Sergeant
William Vern Williams
Winfred, South Dakota
Lake County
November 30, 1920 – October 9, 1943
Killed In Action, Germany
William Vern Williams was born in Winfred, South Dakota, on November 30, 1920. His parents were William and Lona Williams. William was one of five children. He had one brother, Earl, and three sisters, Norma, Dorene, and Wilma. William graduated from Winfred High School in 1938. After graduation, he worked on a few local farms. After that, he jumped a rail car and rode to California to visit family and find employment. William was known as “Boy” to his family and friends. He was fun loving and liked to laugh. He loved sports and hunting. William was known to spend many hours in the Vermillion Hills near Winfred.
Sergeant Williams was drafted out of Lake County and entered the service on October 26, 1942. He received military training at Keesler Field in Mississippi as well as Burbank, California. Sergeant Williams shipped out to England in August of 1943. He served as a radioman and a gunner on a B17 (Flying Fortress) with a crew of ten.
Sergeant William Vern Williams lost his life on October 9, 1943. The circumstances of Sergeant Williams’ death were shared with his family in a letter written by a civilian, Uwe Carstens of Langenhornm, Germany. According to Mr. Carstens:
“It was an autumn day with summery weather, not a cloud in the sky. Since 10:00 that morning we heard a monotonous droning in the sky. We all knew that this sound was made by American planes. One plane wasn’t as high as the others and suddenly we saw 9 parachutes descend into the sky, the burning plane crashed on open farmland about 200m behind our house…The plane burned all night long, the next morning, Sunday the 10th the wreck was examined. In the distance 15-20m, they found a dead airman; it was Sgt. William V. Williams. When his mortal remains were examined it was found that Sgt. Williams death was not caused by the crash but by a serious head wound…John Carter, a crewman on the same Flying Fortress B17 as Sgt. Williams, wrote to me later and told me Sgt. Williams was killed by a 20mm shell 2 hours before the crash on our farm, he died instantly.”
Uwe Carstens was only eight years old at the time, but it was a scene he could never forget.
Sergeant Williams was buried with military honors on October 14, 1943, at 11:00 a.m. in the Friedenshugel Peace Hill Cemetery in Flensburg, Germany. In 1949, Sergeant Williams’ body was brought back to South Dakota for burial in his family’s plot. The reburial rites were held in his hometown of Winfred on Monday, June 13, 1949, at the Congregational Church. Sergeant William V. Williams was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.
Nathan Madigan, 12th Grade, West Central High School, Hartford, South Dakota, March 31, 2002 respectfully submitted this entry. Mrs. Dorene Sharp of Cedar Park, Texas provided information for the entry. Mrs. Sharp is a sister to William Williams. Gary Williams of Salem, South Dakota also provided information. Gary Williams is a nephew to William Williams.
