35th Infantry (Cacti) Regiment Association


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  PFC William Eugene. Ketter    In memory of our fallen brother

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother"



Easy Company
35th Infantry Regiment
World War II


"Not For Fame or Reward
Not For Place or For Rank
But In Simple Obedience To
Duty as They Understood It"





The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, PFC William Eugene. Ketter, 37530215, who died in the service of his country on February 6th, 1945 in Luzon. The cause of death was listed as KIA/DOW. At the time of his death William was 20 years of age. He was from Iola, Kansas.

The decorations earned by PFC William Eugene. Ketter include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.


William is buried in the Manila American Cemetery

Iola Register (Iola, Kansas) March 19, 1945

Pfc. W. E. Ketter Killed in Action

Pfc. William Eugene Ketter died February 6, as a result of wounds received in action on Luzon, according to a telegram received yesterday from the war department by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Al M. Ketter, 514 South Cottonwood. Since his parents had not been notified of his being wounded they presume that he did not live long after being injured.

Twenty years old, Pfc. Ketter was born in Iola and graduated from the Iola high school in 1943. In July of that year he entered the army. He has been overseas since January, 1944, and was stationed in New Zealand and New Caledonia before going to the Philippines.

In addition to his parents he leaves four sisters, Mrs. Lee Ellis, Iola, the Misses Mildred, Lois Ruth and Anna Mae Ketter, of the home; four brothers, Robert, Charles and Donald of the home and Master Sergeant Robert Ketter who returned to the states last December after serving 26 months in Arabia with the air corps. He is now stationed at Romulus, Michigan.

His father is employed at the Kansas Ordnance Plant, Parsons.