PVT William Richard Simpson

PVT William Richard Simpson was born 10 Apr 1925 in Oneida, New York. He was the 2nd of 4 children born to George Edwin and Gladys Eva (McClellan) Simpson. His father worked in a furniture factory in Vernon, New York for many years. The family was living on Foster Street in 1940 which they rented for $14 a month. His father reported a 1939 income of $1200 or about $25000 in today's money. By 1943, William was working for Ledley Drug Company.

William was drafted in July 1943. he trained at Camp Croft, South Carolina before heading to Fort Meade, Maryland and shipping out for England. As you can see from the shoulder insignia he is wearing in the photograph, PVT Simpson was at one time assigned to the 17th Airborne Division. PVT Simpson was sent to England and on 13 or 20 Jun 1944 was transferred from the replacement depot to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 116th Infantry. He was transferred to B Company 116th Infantry on 2 Oct 1944. He was wounded in action on 21 Oct 1944 and evacuated to hospital where he died of his wound(s) on 22 Oct 1944.

PVT Simpson was repatriated in 1947 and re-interred in Glenwood Cemetery in Oneida, New York.

William's brother, Donald Edwin Simpson, served as a a CPL in the Dutch East Indies.