William Lloyd Gray was born 5 May 1918 in Charlotte, North Carolina to William J and Jessie May Johnson Gray. William was the second of five children, with two sisters and two brothers. He completed one year of high school.

William signed his draft registration card on 16 October 1940. He was 5’10” tall, 170 pounds with brown hair and eyes and a ruddy complexion. William enlisted in the Army 6 November 1940 in Charlotte and was assigned service number 14030502.

He joined the paratroops and was a member of Company B, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.

“On 15 August 1942, the 82nd Infantry Division became the Army's first airborne division, and was redesignated the 82d Airborne Division. In April 1943, its paratroopers deployed to North Africa under the command of Major General Matthew B. Ridgway to participate in the campaign to invade Italy. The division's first two combat operations were parachute assaults into Sicily on 9 July and Salerno on 13 September.” Following Salerno, the 504th participated in the battles of Salerno, Altavilla as the troops moved toward Naples through the hills of southern Italy and on to Anzio.

“In January 1944, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which was temporarily detached to fight at Anzio, adopted the nickname "Devils in Baggy Pants", taken from an entry in a German officer's diary.”

" and it was assumed that the 504th would rejoin the 82nd for the upcoming invasion at Normandy. As D-Day approached, however, it became apparent that the 504th would be held back. A lack of replacements prevented the Regiment from participating in the invasion, so only a few dozen 504th troopers were taken as pathfinders.”

It is likely that Pfc Gray was one of the pathfinders since the rest of his unit did not participate in the D-day landing. The duty of the pathfinders was to go in first and mark the drop zone for the others to follow. To do this the men carried a beacon system that would alert the pilot of the lead C-47 where he should drop the men.” Whatever service he provided, it was obvious that Pfc Gray was a brave and dedicated paratrooper. He was killed in action on D-day and received a bronze star and a purple heart for his service.

Pfc Gray was buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in Coleville-sur-Mer, France in Plot E, Row 9, Grave 38.

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Sources:

US, World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas

US, Headstone and Interment Records for US, Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949

honorstates.org

US, World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946

US, World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947

US, Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945

US, World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954

North Carolina, Center for Health Statistics, Vital Records Unit, County Birth Records, 1913-1922

“The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment Roster Company B (Partial) – 1st Battalion”,

223-airborne.us/units/504/rosters/504_roster_b.html

“The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment Unit History”, ww2-airborne.us/units/504/504/html

“82nd Airborne Division”, military.wikia.org

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

Pfc William Lloyd Gray