On March 23, 1944, the 519th left Boston aboard the US Army Transport Edmund B. Alexander for England and Liverpool where it docked on April 5.
The units are then moved to Bristol where they will work in the port as well as in those of Swansea and Newport Wales in order to prepare and load the material for Overlord.
On June 6, Operation Overlord, the 519th was attached to the 1st Engineer Special Brigade; after the landings of the various companies which take place between June 7 and 10, Willard and his brothers in arms unload the ships at an imposing work rate: 12 hours of work for 12 hours of rest; in fact, ships arrive at all hours and must be loaded or unloaded in all weathers.
The beach is secure, but that doesn't prevent German artillery or bombers from launching attacks on the area.
During the night of June 15, a new bombardment hit the Utah sector, a bombardment in two phases: a first phase between 2:10 am and 2:50 am, then another between 4:10 am and 4:30 am; It was during this attack that Willard was hit and died of his injuries shortly after.
He will be buried in the temporary cemetery N°2 of Sainte-Mère-Eglise then will be transferred in April 1948 to the cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer.
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