6/11/1945
First Lieutenant William F. Alter was born 21 April 1916 in Chicago, Illinois. His father was William Alter and his mother was Bernice McCheney. He enlisted in the U.S. Army out of Fort Custer, Michigan on 18 November 1941 and was subsequently assigned to the 213th Ordnance (Bomb Disposal) Squad. 1LT William Alter was the Commanding Officer of the 213th Ordnance (Bomb Disposal) Squad. On 17 April 1945, 1LT Alter and his squad of five enlisted sailed on the Dutch Transport KOTA INTEN from Seattle, Washington. In May, the 213th Ordnance (Bomb Disposal) Squad arrived on Le Shima, Okinawa for duty. 1LT Alter was killed on 11 June 1945. 1LT Alter was killed while attempting to render safe a U.S. 325-pound depth bomb found in the harbor. The depth bomb was lifted out of the water. LT Alter had safely removed the AN-Mk 230 hydrostatic fuze from the tail of the depth bomb, but was mortally wounded when the fuze detonated in his hand.