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A veteran's tale Wars sent local man around the world.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Marnie Mamminga

The letter stills haunts him. "Return to sender" is stamped front and back. Faded and worn, the envelope remains unopened, tucked away in a file of war memorabilia.

The sender was Capt. J. William Wyllie. And his story starts long before the 54-year-old letter. Two wars, four Purple Hearts, one Bronze Star, a Combat Infantry Badge, plus a dozen other assorted battle ribbons and medals are just the tip of the iceberg.

Silver haired with an easy smile, the lanky 82-year-old Wyllie recalls with vivid clarity the details of his military service like the pages of a well-worn history book.

Although Wyllie was born in Aurora in 1922, his father found work during the Depression at the U.S. Wind Engine and Pump Co. and moved his family to Batavia in 1937. Wyllie attended Batavia High School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball and served as president of his senior class. He met his future wife, Ginnie Wallman, in the "W" section of homeroom.

After graduating in 1940, Wyllie headed off to the University of Illinois where he enrolled in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps. In 1943, he was called to active duty. He was still at officers' training school at Fort Knox, Ky. when D-Day occurred.

"I graduated on the 12th of August and high-tailed it back to Batavia to marry Ginnie on the 14th," Wyllie said.

He spent the next year assigned to the 8th Armored Division at Camp Polk, Freeport, La., which Wyllie said was "the hottest summer of my life."

In the winter of 1944, he set sail for...

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