William was born on May 13, 1921 and his family lived at 4245 Leiper Street while growing up in Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia. He enlisted on September 14, 1942 in the Army and served in the Signal Corps. In January of 1944 the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that he was missing. On May 24, 1944 the Inquirer confirmed that he had died off the coast of North Africa in the sinking of the British troop ship, HMT Rohna, on November 27, 1943, when he was 22 years old. He was in the 31st Signal Construction Battalion.

He was survived by his wife, Lorraine, his mother, Catherine, and his brothers, Albert (Army), James (Navy Seabee), Daniel (Army) and Frederick (Army) and his sisters, Dorothy and Virginia.

His wife Lorraine joined the Waves (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) after William was declared missing.

William M Fairhurst