His story: Pfc William Nesbit
Name: William Alfred Nesbit
Rank: Private First Class
Unit: Company I, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
William Alfred Nesbit was born June 9, 1925 in Sykesville, Pennsylvania. He was the son of William and
Elizabeth (Young) Nesbit. He attended the Sykesville Schools and was a member of the Bethel Baptist
Church. He grew up with two brothers (older brother Jack and younger brother Jimmy) and two sisters
(Martha and Florence).
Prior to his enlistment, he was employed at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad carshops in Dubois,
Pennsylvania. William “Bill” enlisted on June 26th, 1943 shortly after his 18th birthday.
He completed jump training at Fort Benning, Georgia where he received his wings on December 24th,
1943. He then took additional training at Camp MacKall, North Carolina and was shipped to England in
May and arrived somewhere around June 1st, 1944.
He entered combat September 17th, 1944 and was killed in action, over Holland, on that date. He was
19 years old.
On the day of the Market Garden drop (17 Sept, 1944), the 502nd PIR was flown to the Netherlands by
The 89th squadron of the 438th Troop Carrier Group. Bill’s stick was aboard plane number 764. He asked
one of his buddies, Cpl John Altomare, to change positions with him on the plane, so that he could be
in position number one. So before they departed, they asked the Lieutenant if it would be alright. He
said it would be OK, if that’s what they wanted to do.
Bill wanted to be in position number one because he was a machine gunner and had to carry the
machine gun and heavy equipment. After the OK was given by the Lieutenant, Bill and his buddy then
changed positions. When the plane was over Holland, Bill was standing in the doorway at position #1,
ready to jump. German flak hit him in the head and he died instantly. The Troopers had to unhook him
and moved him aside so they could jump, as the green light was on. After all the remaining Troopers
were dropped, the plane returned to England with Bill’s body onboard. He was buried in the Cambridge
American Cemetery in Cambridge, England. He remains there to this day.
Rank: Private First Class
Unit: Company I, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
William Alfred Nesbit was born June 9, 1925 in Sykesville, Pennsylvania. He was the son of William and
Elizabeth (Young) Nesbit. He attended the Sykesville Schools and was a member of the Bethel Baptist
Church. He grew up with two brothers (older brother Jack and younger brother Jimmy) and two sisters
(Martha and Florence).
Prior to his enlistment, he was employed at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad carshops in Dubois,
Pennsylvania. William “Bill” enlisted on June 26th, 1943 shortly after his 18th birthday.
He completed jump training at Fort Benning, Georgia where he received his wings on December 24th,
1943. He then took additional training at Camp MacKall, North Carolina and was shipped to England in
May and arrived somewhere around June 1st, 1944.
He entered combat September 17th, 1944 and was killed in action, over Holland, on that date. He was
19 years old.
On the day of the Market Garden drop (17 Sept, 1944), the 502nd PIR was flown to the Netherlands by
The 89th squadron of the 438th Troop Carrier Group. Bill’s stick was aboard plane number 764. He asked
one of his buddies, Cpl John Altomare, to change positions with him on the plane, so that he could be
in position number one. So before they departed, they asked the Lieutenant if it would be alright. He
said it would be OK, if that’s what they wanted to do.
Bill wanted to be in position number one because he was a machine gunner and had to carry the
machine gun and heavy equipment. After the OK was given by the Lieutenant, Bill and his buddy then
changed positions. When the plane was over Holland, Bill was standing in the doorway at position #1,
ready to jump. German flak hit him in the head and he died instantly. The Troopers had to unhook him
and moved him aside so they could jump, as the green light was on. After all the remaining Troopers
were dropped, the plane returned to England with Bill’s body onboard. He was buried in the Cambridge
American Cemetery in Cambridge, England. He remains there to this day.
Photo: William ‘Bill’ Nesbit I-502 PIR
Photo: The Nesbit family, from left to right: William (Father), Elizabeth (mother), Jack, Martha, Jimmy, Florence
and Bill Nesbit.
and Bill Nesbit.
Photo: Jimmy and Bill in front of their home in
Sykesville, Pennsylvania.
Sykesville, Pennsylvania.
Photo: Bill posing with his mother Elizabeth and
father William just after he became a paratrooper.
father William just after he became a paratrooper.
Photo: Bill sitting in the doorway of a C-47 airplane. On September 17,
Bill was hit standing in the door ready to jump.
Story written by Bob Young, cousin of William A. Nesbit, January 2011
All photographs on this page are courtesy of the Nesbit family.
All photographs on this page are courtesy of the Nesbit family.