134th Infantry Regiment Website
"All Hell Can't Stop Us"
|
|
134th Infantry Regiment Website"All Hell Can't Stop Us" |
|
William Gooch Land, son of Ralph Leslie and Bertha (Gooch) Land, was born April 28, 1917 in Crab Orchard, Kentucky. He married Ann Louise Gerwien November 18, 1942 in Los Angeles, California. He registered for the draft October 16, 1940. At the time he was living in De Soto, Kansas and working at Lowes Hatchery in Topeka, Kansas. He enlisted in the Kansas National Guard December 2, 1940, was mobilized to Federal Service December 23, 1940 at Lawrence, Kansas and served as a Corporal in Company M, 137th Infantry Regiment. He was wounded July 13, 1944 in the vicinity of St Lo, France and returned to duty August 19, 1944. He was wounded again September 25, 1944 in the vicinity of Gremecey, France and died of his wounds the following day, September 26, 1944. Cpl William G Land was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for heroic service during the action in which he was fatally wounded. He is buried at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
|
Bronze Star Medal Citation |
|
Corporal William G Land, 20726647, Infantry, United States Army, for heroic service in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States near * * * , France, 25 September 1944. Corporal Land, a chauffeur, Company M, 137th Infantry, had driven an officer to a unit of the * * * Infantry. While the officer was inside the command post, Corporal Land was in the act of moving his vehicle to a place unexposed to the heavy artillery fire to which the area was then being subjected, when he was seriously wounded by an exploding enemy artillery shell. Despite his serious and painful wounds, Corporal Land completed moving is vehicle to safety. He died as a result of his wounds. Corporal Land's devotion to duty and tenacity of purpose reflect credit upon his character as a soldier. Entered military service from Kansas. General Orders No. 48, Headquarters 35th Infantry Division, 29 October 1944 |
