Memorial

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Pvt William G. Wright enlisted in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia on 13 July 1942.

From a letter of 1st Lt James G. Kinsman to William's parents:
"On December 23, 1944, our Regiment moved from the Hurtgen Forest in Germany to a position just outside of a little village called Kesternich. As the Battle of the Bulge was going on just a few miles south of us, we were ordered to dig in defensive positions and do only patrolling work. The weather was very cold and living in foxholes was not our idea of having a good time, but we managed to warm ourselves each day and get a couple of hot meals in the warm cellar of one of the nearby village houses. We also were able to write letters, and our mail from home came pretty regularly. Our main work consisted of patrolling every few days to try to get more inormation of the enemy. During the first few days at this location William had been out on a couple patrols and had been very successful in gaining some valuable information. Actually, he was doing more than his share of dangerous work, but he insisted on doing what he could to help. On January 1, 1945, another patrol was ordered to go out and get a live prisoner, if possible. Our outfit was desperate for more accurate information of the enemy, and William's Company was in the best position to try to capture one of the enemy. Although some of us told William that it wasn't necessary for him to volunteer for this patrol, he insisted that he knew the enemy area better and could guide the rest of the men. He was older than the most of us and had taken it upon himself to always do the best job he could, no matter what it be. He never became excited at anything, but always remained calm and clear thinking and tried to make the rest of the men feel the same way. I most sincerely mean it when I say that he was the best man I had in my platoon. William volunteered to guide the patrol out into such a position that they could ambush a German guard. It was a night patrol, and sky was slightly clouded, but every few minutes the full moon would come out and light up the whole area. This was a terrible handicap but the patrol did'nt hesitate. Just as they were about in position the moon came out and caught William and three other man exposed in a white field of snow. At the same time, a German observer must have seen them, because in the fraction of a few seconds, a German artillery barrage hit on top of them. William was killed instantly, his best friend was seriously wounded, and the other two men where unscratched. A medical aid man got to them as quickly as possible, but it was too late to help William."