William E. Allen
1400584 Staff Sergeant
United States Army
1940-1944

Purple Heart

Killed in Action

    William Edward "Bill" Allen was born 1 January 1922 in Helena, Arkansas. He was one of nine children born to Ross D., Sr. and Myrtle Hodges Allen. His brothers are Ross; Bill; Alvin; twins, Edwin and Edsel; Clyde and Ira Lee. His sisters are Edith and Mildred. Bill was educated in the Wynne Public School System, leaving before graduation to enter the Army.
    Entering the Army in July 1940, Bill received basis training at Indian Town Gap, Pennsylvania. While in the states his permanent base was Camp Polk, Louisiana. During his state side duty, he received training in Armored Half Tracks that were essential to the battle fields in Europe. This training was at an Army Field Operations Center near a desert in the western United States. Bill received additional training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was transferred to England in 1944, seven days after D-Day. Bill's unit, the Armored Infantry Battalion of the 36th Armored Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Armored Division, participated in the battle for Achen. The battles for Achen included the battle of Saint Lo and the Siegfried Line. During this battle Bill Allen was killed by enemy fire 17 September 1944.
    He had earned the Good Conduct Medal, the Infantry Badge, the Sharpshooters Medal and the European Theater Ribbon. In addition he was awarded the Purple Heart.
    William Edward Allen was buried in December 1950 in the National Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. His name appears on the Cross County Veterans Memorial at Wynne.