Army PFC William Reynolds King was born in Pensacola, Florida on March 17, 1918, the son of Malcolm Rupert King (1883-1952) and Pearl "Gamma" Gay (1882-1958). His father was a native of Milton but spent his whole life in Pensacola. In 1900, he began work at 17-years old as a dry goods clerk in Pensacola and by 1910 had become a house painter. He then began painting for the quartermaster corps at Ft. Barrancas for the interval years of time of 1912, 1913, and 1914 before returning permanently in 1916. There, he stayed until his retirement while living his last days in the family home at 1803 East Mallory Street.
In the meantime, their son William attended the local schools before entering Pensacola High School. He would graduate in 1936 followed by his marriage to Thelma Corine McNeil (1917-2002) in Pensacola on February 20, 1938. She was the daughter of James O. and Hattie Belle Palmer McNeil and a graduate of Pensacola High, Class of 1935. The newlyweds rented a place at 309 West Chase Street and he went to work for William Thomas Woodward (1907-1998) at S. H. Kress & Company Department Store at 11 South Palafox Street. Eventually, he worked his way up to assistant manager before enlisting in the US Army in November 1943.
He kissed his wife and little daughter Betty goodbye and boarded the train for basic training. When completed, he received orders for the South Pacific combat theater. Upon arrival he was assigned to the 105th Infantry Regiment of the 27th Infantry Division. As William was entering the Army, his regiment was fighting on the island of Makin. They would be joined by William as they recuperated in Hawaii after the Makin battle. Then came Saipan and William's first taste of combat. They struck the island on June 17, 1944 in support of the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions. On June 23, 1944, the 27th Division advanced up "Death Valley" and "Purple Heart Ridge" toward Mount Tapotchau. In the ensuing fight, the Japanese launched a Banzai attack that overwhelmed the regiment leaving 4,300 dead enemy soldiers along with 403 Americans.
Then came the battle of all battles on Okinawa as the regiment set sail on March 25, 1945. When the American forces stormed ashore on April 1st, they found absolutely no opposition to their landing. Little did they know that the Japanese had changed their strategy and spent all their resources preparing their killing fields further inland. In the meantime, the regiment's 3rd Battalion was given the task of clearing Tsugen Shima Island southeast of Katchin Peninsula. This fight would be the beginning of the regiment's involvement in the battle for Okinawa. They came ashore on April 12th and moved quickly to the south where they went up against the dreaded Shuri Line. Occupying the Corps' western flank, they charged the enemy's pivotal stronghold on Kakazu Ridge but failed to take it. By April 19th, they succeeded in taking one of the dominating ridge lines but in the fighting, William was killed in action by a Japanese sniper.
Thelma was informed on June 22nd of her husband's death leaving the devastating responsibility to explain it to their two-year-old daughter (Elizabeth "Betty" G. King). His remains were buried in the Okinawa military cemetery to be brought home after the war aboard the SS Dalton Victory in April 1949. He was buried in Barrancas Cemetery while Thelma was forced to go on with her life. She would remarry Cecil Glenn Willis in Pensacola in 1952 and join him in death in Bayview Cemetery in 2002.
Pensacola News Journal 4-3-1949
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