Slicer

2nd Lt. William H. Slicer Jr. was born on January 22, 1918, to William H. Slicer Sr. and Alfhild Slicer. With his three sisters, he grew up at 503 South 52nd Avenue in Bellwood, Illinois. He attended Proviso Township High School in Maywood and was a member of the Class of 1937.

While in high school, William was involved in dramatics. His fellow classmates remembered him as a serious, courteous person, willing to help someone at any time. William was married to Dorothy, and the father of two children. They resided at 1000 South Mayfield Avenue in Chicago.

William joined the Illinois National Guard and went for training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He also took part in the Louisiana maneuvers of 1941. In October of 1941, he left the United States with Company B, 192nd Tank Battalion for the Philippine Islands. The battalion arrived in the Philippines just two weeks before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

During the war, William fought with his friends to stop the Japanese advance on Luzon. While carrying dispatches by motorcycle on Bataan, he was injured when his motorcycle was hit by a truck. He was sent to Melbourne, Australia, on the last hospital ship allowed to leave the Philippines by the Japanese.

After recuperating in Australia, William remained in Australia as a member of General MacArthur's staff. The reason this was done was because he was the only American officer who knew about the tactics the Japanese used against tanks.

Later, he reached the rank of Captain and saw more action against the Japanese on New Guinea. While on New Guinea in September of 1944, he was given two options. The first was that he was granted leave to return to Chicago to see his wife, Dorothy, and his children, Carol and Billy.

The second option William was given was to return with General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippine Islands. He had no time to waste and made his decision immediately. In a letter to his wife, he told her that he longed to see her and his children, but he also knew that the Philippines were about to be invaded by American Forces. In the letter, he said that he wanted to be there when Gen. MacArthur returned to the Philippine Islands.

When the invasion of the Philippine Islands came, William was with the American Forces as they landed on Luzon. He returned to the Philippine Islands as the commander of a transport unit of 1000 men.

William was discharged from the army on March 30, 1946. He returned to Maywood and his wife and children. He would later become the father of twin sons. He took a job with the Chicago & North Western Railroad. He also returned to the Illinois National Guard and became the commanding officer of the 33rd Division's Heavy Tank Company which was headquartered in the same armory B Company called home. The men under his command viewed him as being very goal oriented.

In 1958, William moved to Washburn, Wisconsin where his family had land. He lived there until his death on September 24, 1999. He was buried at Washburn Ccemetery in Block 12, Lot 36, Site 1.

It should be noted that William fathered another son, Pierre, while he was stationed in Australia. In 2001, his children became aware of their half brother and have since developed strong ties with him.