William Henry Moseley

Private First Class William Henry Moseley was killed in action on April 13, 1945 in Saxony, Germany during World War II.  He was 26 years old.

William Henry Ball (Moseley) was born in Vicksboro, Vance County, North Carolina on April 18, 1918, the son of Stephen William Ball and Mamie Lee Faulkner Ball. He was adopted following his father’s death and renamed Moseley.  He was married to Mamie Fleming and had one daughter who was two years old at the time of his death.

PFC Moseley was drafted into the U.S. Army on July 17, 1944. After training, he was deployed to the European Theater of War in January, 1945 serving with the 36th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, First Army. 

By the time PFC Moseley reached the 36th Regiment, it was already in Germany advancing towards Berlin.  In April, the Regiment was located in the Saxony-Anhelt area near Mansfeld, southeast of Berlin, about halfway between Frankfurt and Berlin.  The Regiment was taking small towns in the area from retreating Nazi units, liberating Allied POWs, overcoming resistance and engaging with the deteriorating Nazi forces. 

On April 13, 1945, the 36th took Annarode, Gerbstedt, Alsleben, and other towns before ultimately bivouacking for the night at Zuckeritz and Nelben.  Without the support of air power, the infantrymen were nonetheless rapidly overcoming resistance.  They encountered an enemy column with substantial horsedrawn equipment and liberated about a thousand prisoners of war.  During the day, they liberated 13 paratroopers and 2 other American soldiers who had been prisoners since D-Day.  They took direct fire at Alsleben and 20 mm flak and reached the bridge over the Saale on the far side of the town just as the Germans blew it up.  They ended the day bivouacking while a bridge was being constructed at Brucke. PFC Moseley was killed in action on April 13, 1945.

Moseley’s family originally received a telegram that he was missing in action. A few months later, his brother Hampton, who was also serving in the military,  brought back his wallet and watch.  Moseley’s wife received a telegram from one of the service men who had been serving with him that Moseley had been killed in action by a German sniper who was sitting in a tree near the river. The fellow serviceman stated that at the time of his death, Bill had been attempting to arrest the German soldier, rather than to shoot him.

Private First Class William Henry Moseley is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Netherlands. 

Last edited: 31 May 2026