Williams, James E.
Army Private

James E. Williams, age 24, from McClain County Oklahoma.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 128 Infantry 32 Division

Date of death: Friday, November 20, 1942
Death details: In November 1942, the U.S. Army’s 32nd Infantry Division regained control of Buna, Papua New Guinea, with its goal of neutralizing an enemy threat to Port Moresby and, ultimately, to the Australian mainland itself. The rugged terrain that the soldiers faced was fiercely defended by Japanese troops and included tidal swamplands with a labyrinth of camouflaged trenches and bunkers. In December 1942, when the 32nd Infantry Division was reinforced with Australian soldiers, Buna finally fell to the Allies; however, malaria and other tropical diseases contributed to a high number of casualties and deaths for the 32nd Infantry Division. Private James E. Williams entered the U.S. Army from Oklahoma and served in the Medical Detachment of the 128th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. He was killed in action near Buna, New Guinea, on November 20, 1942. Private Williams was buried in an isolated grave, but due to heavy fighting in the area, later efforts to locate his remains were unsuccessful. Today, Private Williams is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency