William “Bill” Vlaanderen

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Bio

William “Bill” Vlaanderen enlisted in the service on March 27, 1951, at Fort Douglas, Utah, and completed basic training at Camp Roberts, California. He served in Korea with F Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army. Shortly after entering the war, Bill and a fellow soldier, believing they were safe, took shelter on a gentle hillside among some brush. As they prepared powdered eggs for breakfast, Bill lifted a forkful to his mouth and was suddenly struck by a sharp pain in his leg. His buddy pulled him to the ground, and Bill tried to stand—only to discover that a bullet or piece of shrapnel had traveled through his torso before exiting through his leg. After recovering from his wounds, Bill returned to duty and served until his honorable discharge on March 3, 1953.