MADISON, WI (WSAU) – In recognition of Army Private First Class William LaVerne “Sonny” Simon, a recently discovered World War II soldier whose remains have been identified and returned to Wisconsin for burial, Governor Tony Evers signed an executive order directing that the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin be flown at half-staff tomorrow.
“A decorated military veteran, Private Simon served our state and country well, giving his life in defense of the values and freedoms we hold most dear,” said Gov. Evers. “We are incredibly grateful for the efforts of his family and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to bring him home so that he will finally be laid to rest in peace.”
Army Private First Class Simon, a native of Middleton, Wisconsin, and a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, went missing on November 5, 1944, during the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest in Germany.
On March 28, 2023, in Middleton, Wisconsin, Army Private First Class William LaVerne “Sonny” Simon will be laid to rest with full military honors. For his actions during the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, Army Private First Class Simon was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
