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PFC William Howard McCracken
Facts
Name
Formal: William Howard McCracken
Called: Howard
Birth
Birthdate: Feb 15, 1919
Birthplace: Farlington. KS
Service
Date inducted: Oct 16, 1943
Place inducted: Ft. Leavenworth, KS
Basic Training: Camp Wolters, TX
Division: 88th Cloverleaf (a.k.a. the Blue Devils)Batallion: 1st
Regiment: 350th
Company: C
Combat dates: Jun 1944 – Apr 1945
Combat location: Italy
Cities/towns visited:
Florence
Montecatini
Leghorn
Missing: Apr 17, 1945
Location Missing: Monterumici Hill
Military Awards
Bronze Star
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Combat Infantryman Badge
Memorials
Hiattville Cemetery
Ft. Scott Courthouse lawn (See photos)
American Cemetery – Italy
Other Sources
American Cemetery
Camp Wolters
88th Division (Mestas)
88th Division (LS)
88th Inf. Div. Assoc.
The Italian Campaign
WWII Documents
On April 16 at 2200 hours, Howard’s company (C), “moved out from La Valle to attack the high ground at Di Sopra and the cemetery to its right. . . . C Company started up toward Di Sopra in the face of heavy machine gun and small arms fire from the cemetery. The company then advanced on the high ground and secured positions in the village of Di Sopra.” (from Operations Reports)
When April 17, 1945 dawned (only days before the war in Europe ended), Howard’s company made an assault on the cemetery to the north of Di Sopra. It was during this attack that Howard was injured by a land mine. At that point, he went to/was taken to a foxhole near a road to wait for the medics. The report indicates that many casualties that day could not be quickly evacuated because the area was under enemy observation. As far as the family knows, Howard was never seen after reaching the foxhole.
His friend, Richard knew that about Howard’s injury. Richard was injured later that day and taken to the hospital. The next day, he looked for Howard in the hospital and could not find him. Richard indicated to the family that Howard’s injury was worse than his own, but he didn’t indicate that he thought it was life threatening.
The official Finding of Death letter (from 1 year and 1 day after he was missing) states, ” . . .he, with other members of Company C, 350th Infantry Regiment, took part in an attack against enemy positions near La Valle, Italy, thirteen miles south of Bologna. While advancing through a minefield, your son stepped on a mine, injuring his foot. He was last seen in a fox hole awaiting medical treatment; however, an extensive search of the area revealed no information concerning his whereabouts.”
On May 6, shortly after 10 a.m., the family received a telegram that Howard was missing on (There are some things that people never forget.) One year and one day later the Army declared Howard dead per standard policy. His family did not give up on his return home as easily. Perhaps they still haven’t.
The letter shown below is Howard’s last letter home, dated two days prior to his disappearance.
The Memorial shown is on the lawn of the Ft. Scott Court House. It honors the soldiers from Bourbon County that were lost in WWI and WWII.
Howard’s name appears at the top of the fourth column of WWII soldiers.
