| Notes |
- He held a B.A. from Brown University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Law degree from Northwestern University.
Bio online: http://www.tarawaontheweb.org/willard.htm
Excerpts from the above:
"Willard was credited with serving more consecutive days under constant enemy fire than any chaplain in the history of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Willard landed with the Marines during the World War II battle at Guadalcanal, and of the eight chaplains who served the Marines there, he was the only survivor. In 1944, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Navy’s highest honor, for his service with the 2nd Marine division during the 1943 battle at Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands."
"During his long career in the ministry, Willard was pastor of Forestdale Baptist Church in Sandwich, MA; Federated Church in Kingston, MA.; Third Baptist Church in Barnstable, MA.; and First Presbyterian Church in Waltham, MA. He founded and directed Camp Good News, which still aims to win young people to Christ. The former moderator of the Boston Presbytery, he was also the author of several books, including 'The Leathernecks Come Through,' which was quoted in Random House's 'A History of the Marine Corps in World War II.' He served for twenty years as a chaplain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, retiring with the rank of commander. He was also assistant to the President of Wheaton College for a few years."
In 1940 the family is living in Barnstable, MA.
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1905 - 1999 (94 years)
