USA Private William D. "Red" Devellis was born in Pensacola, Florida on June 7, 1917, the son of Frank DeVellis (also spelled Devillis) (1873-) and Annie Johanna Christie DeVellis (1883-1943), a native Pensacolian. His father became a naturalized citizen in 1898 having immigrated to the US from Italy. He supported his family as a laborer for the City of Pensacola and would retire prior to 1935. The family home was established at 12 North Coyle Street and from there William would attend St. Michaels High School.
When he became of age, William went to work as a driver and then as a "checker" for the Pensacola Linen Service & Supply Company at 725 West Garden Street. After WWII began, he would enlist in the US Army in November 1942 and was assigned to the 22nd Infantry Regiment attached to the 4th Infantry Division. William would lose his mother Annie suddenly at the family home on June 3, 1943, not long before his regiment's transfer to Fort Jackson, South Carolina on December 1, 1943. The regiment was then ordered to report to Camp Kilmer, NJ on January 8, 1944, to prepare for embarkation. They sailed for England on January 18th and arrived in Plymouth on January 29th.
William and his regimental comrades stormed ashore on D-Day's Utah Beach on June 6th and drove into the town of Ravenoville in Normandy. On the morning of June 14th, William and the entire 22nd Regiment attacked and seized the high ground west of the town of Quinville. Once captured they set about preparing their defenses to hold onto it. It was in this attack that Private William D. Devellis of Pensacola was killed in action. His body was collected by the graves registration unit and buried in a temporary military cemetery. Today he rests in the Normandy American Cemetery in France.
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