William Elliott Whaley, Jr. was a member of the Citadel Class of 1944, which half-way through their junior year, the entire class was called into service with the US Army.['The Class that Never Was']. After basic training and officer candidate school, he entered parachute school. Upon completion, he joined Company C of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, where he was decorated with the Purple Heart for wounds received during advance parachute assault onto Leyte, New Guinea on July 22, 1945. Part of the advance reconnaissance for the Liberation of Luzon, his unit received the Distinguished Unit Citation August 14, 1945.
After the war, William met and courted Joan deRiesthal, in Hempsted, NY. In 1947 they married and settled in East Meadow, and later moved to Miller Place, Long Island, NY.
They had three children together:
Louise Joanne(Whaley)Horton
Denise Claire(Whaley)vonAchen
Frederic Elliot Whaley
In 1948, he transferred to the National Guard where he advanced to the rank of Major.
After the war, William met and courted Joan deRiesthal, in Hempsted, NY. In 1947 they married and settled in East Meadow, and later moved to Miller Place, Long Island, NY.
They had three children together:
Louise Joanne(Whaley)Horton
Denise Claire(Whaley)vonAchen
Frederic Elliot Whaley
In 1948, he transferred to the National Guard where he advanced to the rank of Major.
William Elliott Whaley, Jr. was a member of the Citadel Class of 1944, which half-way through their junior year, the entire class was called into service with the US Army.['The Class that Never Was']. After basic training and officer candidate school, he entered parachute school. Upon completion, he joined Company C of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, where he was decorated with the Purple Heart for wounds received during advance parachute assault onto Leyte, New Guinea on July 22, 1945. Part of the advance reconnaissance for the Liberation of Luzon, his unit received the Distinguished Unit Citation August 14, 1945.
After the war, William met and courted Joan deRiesthal, in Hempsted, NY. In 1947 they married and settled in East Meadow, and later moved to Miller Place, Long Island, NY.
They had three children together:
Louise Joanne(Whaley)Horton
Denise Claire(Whaley)vonAchen
Frederic Elliot Whaley
In 1948, he transferred to the National Guard where he advanced to the rank of Major.
After the war, William met and courted Joan deRiesthal, in Hempsted, NY. In 1947 they married and settled in East Meadow, and later moved to Miller Place, Long Island, NY.
They had three children together:
Louise Joanne(Whaley)Horton
Denise Claire(Whaley)vonAchen
Frederic Elliot Whaley
In 1948, he transferred to the National Guard where he advanced to the rank of Major.
