Private Billy Joe Taylor     

Billy J Taylor was born February 6, 1924 in Poteau, Oklahoma and was killed in the fighting in Normandy June 23, 1944.
 

His parents name was Hillard and Lucy Peck Taylor.

Having received his diploma in May 1942 from the Poteau High School, Bill went to Long Beach, California. He will work in a shipyard, the California Shipbuilding Corp. And until he enters the army.
The exact date of his appeal is not known, it was probably between April and May 1943. He left Poteau by bus to Oklahoma City and from there to the office of incorporation.
Then he was sent to Fort Still, Oklahoma. He received basic training. Then it incorporates the 249th Port Company in Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.
Then, of Indiantown, he was transferred to Fort Hamilton, New York and shortly thereafter, in July 1943, he was assigned to the 249th Company of the 496th Port Battalion.

He was voluntary for airborne troops. He joined the Fort Benning August 10, 1943 where he was assigned to Headquarters Company of the 541st Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Shortly after having received his parachute badge, October 20, 1943, he received 10 days' leave. Then, he returned to Fort Benning to be placed in a unit replacement.
During the latter part of November 1943, he was sent to New York to embark toward England. He arrived in Portrush in Northern Ireland November 17, 1943.
When the 507th PIR arrived in Northern Ireland in December 1943, Billy is incorporated into the HQ Company of 2nd Battalion, 507th PIR.
On March 11, 1944, he left for Portrush Belfast. Then he crossed the sea from Ireland for the British mainland.
Throughout this period, he trained for future airborne operation in France.
The 507th PIR was stationed in the area of Nottingham and Leicester, where the regiment was associated with the 82nd Airborne Division. After about 4 months of training, June 5, 1944, shortly before midnight, paratroopers were taken to the airfield to board the C-47.

At around 1:00 am, June 6, 1944, the paratroopers were dropped over the Merderet River in Normandy. The Bill’s Battalion was parachuted into the marsh about 2 miles east of Amfreville. From there they went to the Merderet and Cauquigny.
First of all, Billy Joe was reported as killed in action June 24, 1944. But later, a letter from the War Department stating that he was killed June 23
Initially buried in Normandy, Billy Taylor's body was repatriated
In March 1948 and was finally buried in Oakland Cemetery, Poteau in Oklahoma.