Willard Dealton Purdy
Sergeant Purdy was a part of World War I. He served in the army as a member of Co. A, 127th infantry. He served in France and was stationed in Hegenbach, Alsace.

Willard Purdy was born in Shawano, Wisconsin and raised in Marshfield, Wisconsin. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Purdy. He was born on March 17th, 1895 and had four brothers and two sisters.

Sgt. Purdy died very heroically a the age of only twenty-three. Purdy and a few of his comrades were coming back from patrolling 'no man's land'. The men started to take off all of the hand grenades that they had on them, when Purdy accidently pulled out the igniter on one of the three grenades he had on him. Purdy knew that the grenade would explode in a few seconds and would quickly kill everyone around him. He told his men to run for safety. Then Purdy bent over, covering the grenades with his body. The hand grenades blew up, instantly killing Purdy and only gave three men minor injuries. All of the other comrades lived due to Purdy's heroism. He died in Hegenbach on July 4th, 1918.

Gina Jardine, Student
East Junior High, Wisconsin Rapids

August 1914 was when it all started. World War I, or the Great War, was fought between England, France, Russia, Italy, Austria-Hungary and Germany. World War I ended in November of 1918. Within all of the soldiers that fought in World War I, Willard Purdy is a hero of Wood County.

Sergeant Willard Purdy was born in Shawano and moved to Marshfield, Wisconsin with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Purdy. He moved when he was five years old. As the years went on, Sergeant Purdy entered as a member of Company A, 18th infantry and was ready to serve his country proud. He lived with pride and honored his country well. Little did he know, he was about to give up his life for his pals in a matter of seconds.

Willard Purdy died on July 4th, 1918. The night before his death, he was in charge of a party of raiders at the crossing of no man's land. Bombing the German trenches successfully, they returned to their unused hand grenades that were let over from the bombing of the trenches. While Purdy was unpacking a hand grenade, the grenade slipped through his fingers and landed on the ground.

As a result of hitting the ground, the grenade pin slipped out causing the grenade to go off. Purdy had only five seconds to react to this incident. The grenade would take out all the people remaining in the dug out. Purdy acted quickly and took his life in danger. He saved all of his friends that were in the dugout. Purdy threw himself on top of the grenade and a second after that, the explosion came. Purdy�s body was ripped apart by the grenade, but he saved many of his friends� lives.

Willard Purdy was known as a hero to many. He took his life in danger and saved his love for serving our country. He was known by many and the memories were buried with him. We are grateful to know that a hero like this was a resident near us. Purdy was buried with all the honors due to a brave soldier. He is looked up upon and is remembered in many ways.

Becca Jeffrey
East Junior High School

“The seed for revolution is repression.” This is a famous quote from President Woodrow Wilson who led our nation through World War I. He was reluctant to get involved but had to when German U-boats kept attacking American ships. The final shove that got America involved was the interception of the Zimmerman Telegram.

WWI, also called “The War to End All Wars”, was fought between 1914-1918. America, however, did not enter the War until 1917. WWI was the first war to be fought on three continents. There is no definite number of casualties because the demands of battle undermined the process of detailed records. The believed number of casualties for U.S.A. is over 300,000 people. This is only about 8% of the men and woman who entered.

Marshfield’s Military and National Guard units go back to May 17, 1889. Marshfield was only 17 years old when the community formed a company of militia consisting of 23 men. “Cy” Allen was the Drillmaster and C.S. Vedder was the Treasurer. This organization became permanent on Sept. 25, 1889. This is the organization William Purdy joined.

Sgt. William Purdy, part of Company A, lost his life in France. Purdy and his men, returning from patrol in no man’s land, were stripping themselves of their weapons and equipment. Purdy, who was taking hand grenades out from his blouse, accidentally set off one of the igniters of a grenade. Knowing there wasn’t much time he urged his men to flee for safety while he wrapped his arms around the blouse to try to reduce some of the explosion. A few seconds later the grenades blew up. This act of courage cost him his life but saved but he saved his men.

William Purdy died on July 4, 1918 at the age of 23. He did what most people wouldn’t even think of doing. He saved his men and protected his country. He deserves more then our sorrow, he deserves our respect and honor. He died a savior but lives as a hero.

By Josh Mertz
East Junior High School

Willard D. Purdy is the hero of Marshfield, Wisconsin. He sacrificed his own life to save many others in battle with him during a battle in WWI. He joined the army when he was twenty years old. In the army, he was a member of the Company A, 127th infantry. He served in France and was stationed in Hegenbach, Alsace.

Willard D. Purdy was born in the City of Shawano, in Shawano County, Wisconsin, March 7, 1895. He was the son of Arthur D. and Esther (Weed) Purdy. Willard was one of seven children. The parents were both American. His father was from Milwaukee and his mother is from the City of Plymouth, in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.

They were married in Shawano, February 12, 1894, and came to Marshfield in February, 1900. Willard was employed by the “Soo” Railway as car repairer and later became baggage master at the Marshfield Depot. On May 5, 1915, he enlisted in Company A, Second Wisconsin National Guards.

On July 4 1918, Willard Purdy was in command of the troops and was told to lead six men into “No Man’s Land“. Once all the men came back they started to remove the grenades they had under their jackets. When all of a sudden Purdy accidentally pulled the triggers off of one of the grenades he had, which meant that in five seconds that grenade would explode. He realized that when the grenade exploded it would kill everyone around him, so he cried out to his men to “run” and threw himself face down on the ground. The explosion came and he was killed on the spot. Three of his men, Corporal Sweating, Privates Kennedy and Hill of his own company were badly wounded, not having had enough time to get out of the way but, the others escaped.

Do to this act; Willard was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). His body was buried with military honors at Alsace, where it rested until it was unburied and sent home for burial, reaching Marshfield May 29, 1921, and it was reburied here on Memorial Day. Every year when spring comes, planted flowers will bloom over his body. Red poppies, white daises, and blue cornflowers. The colors of the flowers planted represent the colors in our flag, red, white and blue. Also in honor of his bravery and self sacrifice the City of Marshfield named the Junior High and Vocational School building the Willard D. Purdy School.

Purdy’s mention says: “upon returning with his patrol after a reconnaissance of the enemy’s line, Sergeant Purdy was calling the roll of his men and collecting their hand grenades when the pin of one of the grenades became disengaged. Seeing that the grenade could not be thrown away without injuring some of the men, Sergeant Purdy called on them all to run, while he picked up three of the grenades and bending over them against his stomach, the grenade exploded, killing Sergeant Purdy Instantly, but his presence of mind and self-sacrificing act saved the lives of his comrades.”

Willard D. Purdy was a very brave man. He had always put others before himself. Willard had to make the number one biggest choice anyone could every have to do. Because of this choice he made that day, many people survived this tragic incidence, and we honor him for his heroism.

By Kennedy McDonald
East Junior High School