William H. Myers, Jr., was born on February 10, 1917 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to William H. and Virginia (Sproul) Myers. After his little sister Dorothy was born six years later the family moved to Primos, a suburb of Philadelphia. My father went to Upper Darby High School, played football and graduated in June 1935. After graduating, he worked as an electrician with my grandfather. When Dorothy graduated from high school, the family moved to Lansdowne, PA the home town of my grandmother Virginia. Around this time, Bill met Anna Mroz on a blind date, they fell in love, and were married July 26, 1941

In spring 1943, Dad was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served his basic training in Fort Eustis with Battery A, 12th Antiaircraft Training Battalion and later at Camp Edwards with Battery B, 571st AAA Auto WPNS Battalion. In October 1944, Dad was shipped overseas. Although there was a war, my father got to see places he only saw in the movies. From his letters he described the various places he liked . . . England and Belgium . . . but he fell in love with Holland. It was the people he said in his letters that treated the soldiers so well. They were so grateful and generous even though they lost so much.

In December 1944, my mother informed Dad he was going to be a father. Dad asked if the baby was a boy he would like to continue with the family name. If the baby was a girl, he would leave the decision to her. On February 3, 1945 just one week short of his 28th birthday, Cpl. William H. Myers, Jr. was killed when the jeep he was driving hit a landmine outside of Aachen, Germany. He rests in the American Netherlands Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, The Netherlands.

On July 18, 1945 Billie Ann Myers was born in Philadelphia with the same blonde hair and smile like her father. I was named in honor of both my parents. My mother never remarried. On May 17, 1951 my beautiful mother lost her courageous battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was then raised by my paternal grandparents in Lansdowne. I graduated from Lansdowne-Aldan High School in 1963 and then continued my college education on the GI Bill.

One of the first things I did after graduating was to visit my father’s grave in the summer 1967. I wrote home to my grandfather and told him how beautiful the cemetery was in Margraten. My grandparents and mother always wondered and worried if they made the right decision by leaving him in Holland. I assured my grandfather they made the right decision because my father could not be in a better resting place with his band of brothers. It was not until 2005 when a group of us from AWON made a trip to the cemetery that I found out my father’s grave was adopted by a Dutch family. Since that trip, my Dutch adopters have become an extension of my family. We celebrate our birthdays, anniversaries, and comfort each other during those times of need.

To this day, friends and family speak of Bill Myers with love and affection. They remember his humor, his laugh and warm smile, his generosity, and his spirit of adventure. His death left his family and friends heartbroken. For me, I only wonder "would my father be proud of me?"