Sergeant, WILLIAM FORWOOD PRESNALL 20445776 KIA

T/ Sergeant, WILLIAM FORWOOD PRESNALL 20445776 KIA 1st Special Service Force. He was a member of the 1st Special Service Force of volunteers, a group which landed on Kiska in rubber boats without guns, took peak after peak at Cassino, painted their faces black to roam German positions on Anzio for 99 nights, and who lost more than half their men before reaching Rome. Sergeant Presnall fought in the Aleutian and Italian campaigns and lost his life December 25, 1943, at the age of 25. He was the brother of First Lieutenant MARION HAYES PRESNALL. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William W. Presnall of Shreveport Louisiana. He was born on April 26, 1918. He attended Atkins, St. John’s, and Byrd Schools and worked for A. and P. Food Company prior to entering the Coast Artillery Corps as sergeant in a parachute mortar crew on January 6, 1941, at the age of 22. He had the Purple Heart Medal (PHM), presented posthumously to his mother, the Asiatic Pacific (PTO) and European Theater (ETO) Ribbons with several battle stars, the Good Conduct Medal, Canadian and other decorations.

Source:

1- THE FIGHTING MEN OF LOUISIANA – LOUISIANA HISTORICAL INSTITUTE – 1946

2- https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=20445776&bc=sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=1960399

3- US Headstone and Interment records for US Military.