Background
William W. Ashurst was born on October 30, 1893 in Green Ridge, Missouri.
William W. Ashurst was born on October 30, 1893 in Green Ridge, Missouri.
Ashurst attended the Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri and was commissioned a Second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve on May 21, 1917. He also attended the advanced course at Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in June 1935 and served on the various marine post.
He was captured by Japanese forces on December 8, 1941 and was held in captivity until the rest of the war. He was assigned to the Marine Corps Rifle Range in Winthrop, Maryland, before he embarked for France. Ashurst also received the regular Marine Corps commission in September of the same year.
During World War I, he fought with the 5th Marine Regiment, 2nd Division within American Expeditionary Force.
In June 1918, Ashurst was wounded, while leading an attack on the German machine gun post during the battle of Belleau Wood. Foreign his service during the battle, Ashurst was decorated for gallantry in action with Silver Star He also earned Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with Guilt Star by the government of France.
Ashurst returned to the United States in April 1920 and was assigned to Marine Barracks Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In 1939, Ashurst served as a battalion commander in the 6th Marine Regiment stationed in San Diego, California.
In this capacity, his direct superior was Samuel L. Howard, also prisoner of war from the Battle of Corregidor.
In December 1941, Ashurst served with the rank of Colonel as Commander of the North China Marine Corps Detachment and also as a Commander of the Guard Unit at the United States Embassy in Beijing, China. When Japan attacked United States, United States. Marine units in China were easy targets. He was captured on December 8, 1941 by Japanese forces and subsequently held in Prisoner of War Camp in Shanghai until June 1945.
Brigadier general Ashurst died on February 18, 1952 at the age 58 and he is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.
Action Date: February 1, 1942 – June 19, 1945 Name: William Wallace Ashurst Service: United States Marine Corps Rank: Colonel Division: Prisoner of War (China) Colonel Ashurst displayed outstanding skill, diplomacy and superior judgment in performing his duties, and by his intrepidity in conducting official matters with the Japanese Camp Authorities under extremely unpleasant and humiliating conditions imposed, he contributed greatly in the alleviation of the harsh treatment received by the prisoners at the hands of the Japanese and in the improvement of conditions under which the prisoners were forced to live, thereby being instrumental in lowering the mortality rate of prisoners of war interned. His devotion to duty and tireless effort throughout the long period of imprisonment while suffering from poor health and hardships imposed by the Japanese were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier general.