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Personal info

Full name
PRESTON, William Hainer
Date of birth
30 July 1914
Age
30
Place of birth
Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee
Hometown
Seminole County, Florida

Military service

Service number
O-359632
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
unknown
Unit
H Company,
3rd Battalion,
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
82nd Airborne Division
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Died of Wounds
Date of death
27 September 1944
Place of death
The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
F 2 16

Immediate family

Members
John E. Preston (father)
Mary M. (Underwood) Preston (mother)
Mary J. Preston (twin sister)
Luella (Rehnke) Preston (wife)
William H. Preston (son)
Marilyn A. Preston (daughter)

More information

1st Lt. Preston attended the University of Florida and graduated from the University of Tennessee.

2nd Lt Luella Rehnke and Lt. William H. Preston married at Fort Custer where both were posted, Lt Rehnke as a nurse in the Army Nurses Corps and Lt Preston with the Military Police.

1st Lt William H. Preston was killed by friendly fire.

He was first buried at the Temporary American Cemetery of Molenhoek, the Netherlands.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, http://www.ww2-airborne.us, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940/1950 Census, Battle Creek Enquirer - 7 June 1942

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Becky Briggs Becker- The University of Tennessee, The Knoxville Journal - 25 June 1942