William J. Uhler

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Serial: 6978342
426th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)

Entered the Service from: New York
Died: December 23, 1944
Buried at: Fairview Cemetery
Williamstown, Pennsylvania

Staff Sergeant William J. Uhler was born on February 28, 1921 in Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on October 3, 1939. When the Census was taken in 1940 he was receiving training at the Holabird Quartermaster Depot in Baltimore, Maryland. He became a mechanic, and was assigned to the 426th Bombardment Squadron, and was stationed at the Columbia Army Air Base in Columbia, South Carolina. He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Staff Sergeant Uhler married while in the Army.

The 426th Bombardment Squadron was established as a B-25 Mitchell medium bombardment squadron in early 1942. Originally constituted as the 37th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on January 28 of that year, the unit was activated on March 15, 1942, and was re-designated as the 426th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on April 22, 1942. The 426th was assigned to Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina as first an Operational Training Unit (OTU) for newly formed squadrons, then in 1943 became a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for pilots and aircrew on the B-25 prior to the personnel being assigned overseas to combat units. The 426th Bombardment Squadron was disbanded on May 1, 1944 with the phaseout of B-25 training.

One can safely assume that Staff Sergeant Uhler received orders as to where he was to report to next, and that possibly these orders may have influenced the events that would shortly follow.

After being arrested for a traffic violation on Saturday, May 13, 1944, Staff Sergeant William J. Uhler was committed to the Orangeburg County Jail in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He committed suicide in his cell that evening.

At some point during his time in the Army, possibly through his marriage, Staff Sergeant Uhler established ties to Camden County, New Jersey. After his death, his body was returned to the place of his birth and he was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Williamstown, Pennsylvania.