The Santa Cruz Sentinel article merely said, "Bill Carlisle Killed in Pacific Area."

William H. Carlisle was born in Santa Clara County, California, on February 11, 1920. No other information regarding Carlisle's parentage or place of births is available. An obituary published by the Santa Cruz Sentinel on May 17, 1945 noted that he was the grandson of Mrs. Mary A. Carlisle who lived in Aptos; it is possible that he resided with her. Carlisle attended Chaminade High School, where he was described as an outstanding student and star basketball player.

William graduated from high school in 1938 and was employed locally as a farm hand. At this time, he may have also resided in Santa Clara County, as he is listed among the war dead of that county.

Carlisle reported to the Presidio of Monterey and was inducted into the US Army on June 24, 1944. He completed his basic training at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in Arkansas and was then sent to Fort Ord, California. At the completion of his training, he was assigned to the 32nd Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division.

Private Carlisle joined the 32nd Infantry Regiment in the Philippine Islands between October 1944 and March 1945. In March 1945 the 7th Infantry was sent to Okinawa. The attack on Okinawa was launched on Easter Sunday April 1, 1945 and the 7th Infantry moved inland seizing Kadena airfield and continued across the fourteen-mile wide island to its eastern coast.

“By the 6th of April the first of the infamous ridges such as "Cactus Ridge" in the west and "The Pinnacle" in the east were encountered. From now on the iron defense of Okinawa would be revealed. These first defenses would take three weeks to overcome with terrible losses on both sides. On 13th April the Japanese attempted to counterattack but were crushed with heavy losses and ending in total failure.”

During the fighting on Okinawa on April 14, 1945, Private William H. Carlisle was killed in action. His remains were reinterred in the Honolulu Memorial Cemetery in Hawaii in 1949. His awards include the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

(CBR; ABMC; NARA2; SCSn May 17, 1945 1:6; Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Assoc., Battle of Okinawa, 2008 http://www.okka.co.uk/battleokinawa.html, [16 September 2008]) http://www. sfgenealogy.com/santaclara/scww246a.htm. [12 April 2009])