William France '24
Date of birth: October 28, 1902
Date of death: April 2, 1945
Age: 42
Lucky Bag
From the 1924 Lucky Bag:
WILLIAM COOK FRANCE
New Rochelle, New York
"Charlie"
WILLIAM COOK FRANCE at a song or a dance, is the peer of all men to behold, with his hot navy line and his glances sublime, he charms all the maidens so bold. But 'tis not of this thing that we wish most to sing—though there's more we could easily tell—'tis his habits so rare that we wish most to air and proclaim e'en to you, New Rochelle. His most prevalent vice—no, never touches the dice—is the wearing of shirts all in ribbons; from the front to the back a most evident lack shows the pelt of his royal "his nibbons." Though we rant and we rave and slip nearer the grave, 'tis all to the vainest of uses, a needle and thread seem to fill him with dread and he balks with the weakest excuses.
We'd forgive him for that if he'd only grow tar and furnish some real competition. "Eat and grow thin", will he ever give in and give up this pernicious ambition? The rest of us brood and give up our food, resort to all kinds of privations, though our efforts he'll conn he just scoffs and scoffs on without fear of a large corporation. So we'll close with a hope that some day he'll elope with a damsel of potent right arm, who will mend all his shirts and drive away flirts and thus keep our "Charley" from harm.
Mandolin Club (4, 3, 2, 1); Leader Mandolin Club (1).
Loss
William was lost on April 2, 1945 when USS Henrico (APA 45) was struck by a kamikaze during the invasion of Okinawa.
He had only taken command of Henrico two weeks earlier, on March 18.
His wife was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by his daughter, Martha. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Bronze Star
William was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star.
Class of 1924
William is one of 41 members of the Class of 1924 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
