There have been many brave souls in our military who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Yet many not only give their lives for our freedom, but never make it home as a result.
 
One such brave soul was Warrant Officer Junior Grade, William J. McMichael. A native of Boyertown, Pennsylvania who fought valiantly in the Battle of the Philippines from his initial stationing at Nichols Airfield, Manila in 1941 to the surrender at the Bataan Peninsula in 1942.
 
A member of the United States Army Air Forces, William McMichael was one of the thousands of prisoners of war captured by the Japanese in the Philippines and survived the infamous Bataan Death March before enduring the conditions of the many work camps they set up across the South Pacific. Eventually he was set for transport to the Japanese home islands in December of 1944 where he would be placed in an unmarked ship that was attacked by friendly fire from carrier planes in January of 1945, killing William and over 400 other prisoners of war in the process.
 
Yet while his remains laid in the Philippines until he and hundreds of others were taken back to the United States in 1946, on April 3, 2025, his remains were finally identified through DNA analysis performed by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), and on October 2, 2025, just last Thursday his remains were finally returned to Boyertown after more than 80 years with friends and family from across the community showing up to welcome him home.
 
Finally, on October 7, 2025, William McMichael is set to be buried at Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery with full military honors.
 
Please join me in honoring the life and legacy of Warrant Officer Junior Grade, William J. McMichael and sending our heartfelt congratulations to his family now that he is finally home after more than 80 years.