Graver marker for William E. Kistler in Plot: 12-D, 629 of the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville (Lebanon county), Pennsylvania.

William E. Kistler enlisted under the name of William E. Zucuskie enlisted on  22 Jun 1942 in Wilkes Barre, PA

He volunteered for parachutist duty and was assigned to the transferred from 507th Parachute Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia where he completed jump school.

On or about October 19, 1942 he was one of numerous 507th personnel transferred to Camp Blanding, FL as "Cadre" members.  The cadre personnel's role was to help impart their parachute training on an entirely new regiment, a new training concept which proved very effective.

William went on to serve in the 508th's Company H throughout the war and was wounded four times during combat in France, twice in Holland and again in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.

He was discharged following the war and returned home to marry his sweetheart Florence.  Her name change was not the only one that occurred, however, as William was adopted by his stepfather and assumed the new surname of Kistler.

Following those events, William re-enlisted and served during the Korean and Vietnam wars as well. He retired as a Sergeant First Class.

William E. Kistler, 66, of 7239 Chambers Hill Road, Swatara Twp., died yesterday in Polyclinic Medical Center.

He was a retired bookstore manager for Penn State Harrisburg; a retired Army sergeant first class, a World War II veteran; and a Purple Heart recipient.

Surviving are his wife, Florence M. Bachert Kistler; two daughters, Cheryl A. Shope of Hummelstown, and Donna L. Gaia of Wilkes-Barre; two brothers, Eugene Zucuskie of Prairie Hill, Texas, and Wallace of Clarks Summit; a sister, Margaret Schasney of Newton Falls, Ohio; and five grandsons.

Services will be held at noon Tuesday in the Neill Funeral Home, Paxtang. Burial will be in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.

Viewing will be from 10: 30 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Diabetes Foundation, Harrisburg Area Chapter, 2600 N. Third St., Harrisburg 17110.

(The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, 29 Dec 1989, Page B2 - courtesy of Tedd Cocker)