William A. Foster

William Adelbert Foster
William A. Foster, Medal of Honor recipient
Born	(1915-02-17)February 17, 1915 Garfield Heights, Ohio
Died	May 2, 1945(1945-05-02) (aged 30) KIA in Okinawa, Japan
Place of burial	initially the 1st Marine Division cemetery Okinawa later reinterred in Calvary Cemetery Cleveland
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	(6 years Ohio National Guard) 1944-1945 (USMC)
Rank	Private First Class
Unit	3rd Battalion, 1st Marines
Battles/wars	World War II *Battle of Okinawa
Awards	Medal of Honor (1945) Purple Heart

William Adelbert Foster (February 17, 1915–May 2, 1945) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty" during World War II during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

William Foster was born in Garfield Heights, Ohio on February 17, 1915. Following graduation from vocational high school, where he majored in machinist's subjects, he was employed as a planer and shaper at Cleveland's Star Machine and Tool Company. A veteran of six year's service in the Ohio National Guard, Foster was enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve through the Selective Service System on April 1, 1944.

Foster received his basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. In late September 1944, after intensive combat training at Camp Pendleton, he embarked for overseas duty on board the USS General C. G. Morton bound for the Russell Islands in the Solomon group. There he joined his regular unit — Company K, 3rd Battalion 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division.

He landed with his unit during the Battle of Okinawa on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, the first anniversary of his enlistment in the Marine Corps. In combat for the first time at Okinawa, PFC Foster performed an act of heroism on May 2, 1945 which earned for him the nation's highest military decoration: the Medal of Honor.