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William Carl Wright, 208 Wesley Dr., Bonne Terre, attained a T5 rank in the U.S. Army during World War II.� He was in Company E, 351st Infantry, 88th Division and Company A 345 G.S.R. Engineering, American 5 Army.� He served in Italy, Crete and Athens.�

"I was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct, four Bronze Stars, European Theater, Victory Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Expert on MI and Carbine, Duty Soldier with more than five specialist notations," Wright reported.

"It was in September, 1944.� We had gone up a mountain at night and we were driven off.� We regrouped the next morning and were beaten up.

�"That afternoon, about 15:00 hours, I was sitting by a tree reading my Bible when Philips, our assistant gunner for our light machine gun, came to me and asked me to read the Bible to him.� I was already in the 14th chapter of John's gospel, so I finished it and read the 15th also.

"Philips said 'We're going back up again tonight.'� I said, 'Yes, I know.'� He said 'I'm not coming back tonight, it's my night, they'll get me tonight.'� I tried to talk him out of it.� He wouldn't hear me.� We prayed together and he was 'Born Again.'

We went back up that night and were run off again.� The next morning we were down to about 45 or 50 men and Philips wasn't with us, neither was Nordrum, our gunner. � Just Wiss, myself and two ammo carriers.

"We went back up for the third time with another regiment to help.� We took the mountain and kept it.� But I wasn't looking for Germans.� I was looking for our gun.� When I found it, there was Nordrum on the gun and Philips beside it.� I stood there and wept.� Nordrum wouldn't let me tell him about Jesus but one day I'll see Philips in Heaven."

�The Daily Journal, St. Francois Co., Wednesday, April 26, 1995

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