William A. Meister, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George J. Meister, was born on December 16, 1946. His family moved to Madison, NJ, when he was twelve. His home of record is Madison, NJ.
A former newsboy for the Chatham Courier, Bill graduated from St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, NJ, and attended Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ, where he was a member of Delta Sigma Delta fraternity for three and one-half years. Bill also earned a private commercial and instructor’s pilot’s license after graduating from the Sawyer School of Aviation in Phoenix, AZ.
Meister worked for the Guardian Tree Corporation in Summit, NJ, when he was drafted into the US Army on July 22, 1969. Bill completed his basic training at Fort Dix, NJ. After advanced military training at Fort Lewis, WA, he was assigned to Vietnam in December 1969, where he attained the rank of Specialist 4 (SP4).
On May 4, 1970, a US Army officer visited the family and advised them that William had been killed in action in Vietnam. Meister was a door gunner on a helicopter and was killed in action on April 30, 1970. His helicopter was struck by ground fire and he was mortally wounded.
On May 13, 1970, funeral services for William Alfred Meister, age 23, were held at St. Vincent’s Church, the fifth Madisonian to die in the Vietnam War.
Just before Bill was killed, he had been notified of his acceptance to flight-training school, his prized ambition.
Meister’s final resting place is the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, NJ.
Sources: Always with us (Madison War Memorial Book Committee) and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024
