William W. Alexander
Service No.: 32420064
Ship Assignment: USS LST-507
ABMC Memorial Page: Click Here
Walter W. Alexander was born in 1905, and had one sister, Phyllis.
Walter was educated at a Grammar School in New York, and after leaving was employed as an unskilled routeman.
Residing in Queens, New York, Walter enlisted on 3rd August, 1942 at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York. He was recorded as being single, 5 feet 7 inches in height, and 155 lbs in weight.
By 2nd December, 1942, aged 37, Walter was serving at Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana, most likely training at Camp Breckinridge, just a short distance away.
Assigned to the 557th Quartermaster Railhead Company, Private Walter was sent to the UK, the unit being stationed at Carclew, Cornwall on 17th May, 1944.
The 557th Quartermaster Railhead Company was one of the units that took part in assault rehearsals for D-Day conducted at Slapton Sands on the Devon coast and would be boarded on LST-507 at Brixham, England on 27th April, 1944 – it was called Exercise Tiger. The first assault landings were made on the morning of the 27th April, following the “bombardment” and continued throughout the day. A follow up convoy of eight LSTs was expected later that night.
As the convoy approached Lyme Bay and looping to head back towards the shore some German E-Boats made contact and opened fire. Just after 2:00 am on the 28th April, LST 507 was torpedoed, hitting its auxiliary engine room cutting all electric power.
Trapped below decks many brave soldiers and sailors went down with the ship, including Private Walter Alexander, aged just 39. His body was later recovered, and buried in the Cambridge American Battle Monuments Commission Cemetery and Memorial.
Honours and Memorials
Private Walter W. Alexander was awarded a Purple Heart.
Walter’s name is inscribed in the American Roll of Honour book in the American Memorial Chapel Roll of Honour at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, and is buried in Grave 51, Row E, Plot E, at the American Battle Monuments Commission Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
