D-Day Paratroop Casualty Returned

   The body of Sgt. Bill Pierson, who was killed in action in Normandy Normandy at the age of 22, will arrive arrive in Lincoln Monday for burial. Sergeant Pierson jumped with the 508th regiment of the famed 82nd airborne division on D-day. First listed as missing, he was later reported as having been killed the first day of the invasion.
   The 1940 graduate of Lincoln high school entered the army in October, 1942, and received his paratroop training at Fort Benning, Ga. He had attended the University of Nebraska for one year.
   Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Pierson, route 6, Lincoln and a sister, Mrs. Lois Daft, in California.
   Funeral services will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Hedgeman Splain, VFW post No. 1450 will conduct military services at the grave in Wyuka.

[The Lincoln Star, Lincoln, NE, 11 July 1948, page 14]

Grave marker of Sgt Billie J. Pierson in Section 33; Lot 77, Space 5 of the Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln (Lancaster county), Nebraska.

Billie enlisted at Fort Crook, NE on 1 October 1942.  He was sent to the Recruit Center at  Ft Leavenworth, KS where he volunteered for parachutist duty.  Pvt Pierson was then transferred to Camp Blanding, FL where he arrived on 26 October and was assigned to Company A.

A year later he had been promoted to the rank of Sergeant. 

Sgt Pierson jumped into Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944 and went missing in action although not reported as such until 12 July 1944.

On 31 October he was declared as killed in action, probably after his remains were recovered in a remote location.