Memorial

More information

Pvt William V. Askren and his older brother Lee both quit High School to join the army, which William did on 22 November 1943. He underwent basic training at Camp Waltors, Texas and volunteered for the Airborne, thinking it would get him to see action quicker. He had parachute training at Ft. Benning, Georgia.After completing airborne training he was sent to Nottingham, England where he joined Company B, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. He was a replacement after the Normandy landings. He joined 2nd platoon, which had only two men left of the 35 that went to Normandy.

Together with Jim Allardyce and trooper Aronis, Pvt Askren made up the machine gun section of the platoon.

Per Jim Allardyce: We knew one another rather vaguely at that time because we were with 100's of other men, but when we ended up in the second platoon of B company, 508th Parachute Infantry regiment, our interest in each other increased. About a week or so before we went to Holland, a new reshuffle of assignments put Bill, I and Aronis together as a machine gun team. Bill was the gunner because he was not only the biggest for carrying the gun, but he also took a keen interest and pride in his gun. He could hardly wait to shoot it. "

Pvt Askren was declared officaly dead one day and one year after he was reported missing in action.