William Beecher Carpenter was the son of Oscar Carpenter and Edith Valeria Brooks. His father died in 1929 and his mother married Carl Earnest Moser in 1935.
He served on the Advance Aviation Base “A” N.A.S., Norfolk, VA, in 1941 and was transferred from the Motor Torpedo Boat Training Center at Portsmouth, RI, to the U.S.S. Motor Torpedo Boats Squadron Six on 24 August 1942.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 14 March 1943
William Carpenter, 24-year-old gunner on a ship, has been killed in action, his mother, Mrs. Carl Moser of Maryville, was notified today by the War Department. He is the second Maryvillian to be killed in action, a Maryville High School classmate, George Goodman, who was also in the Navy having been the first. Carpenter had worked at Martin and Burns drug stores after graduating from high school. He went to the Navy about a year ago. He was popular. The first gold star will go on the service flag at Broadway Methodist Church, where he was a member. Surviving are his mother; sister, Miss Jean Carpenter; and stepfather, Carl Moser.
- Rank: Gunnersmate Third Class
- Date of birth: 12 November 1918
- Date of death: 5 March 1943
- County: Blount
- Hometown: Maryville
- Service Branch: Navy
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
- Location In Memorial: Pillar VI, Top Panel
- Sponsored by: Jennifer Holder
Image Gallery
Click a thumbnail below to view at full size.
