William Thomas Wygal was born in Highwood, Illinois, on April 22, 1923. The son of Lawrence and Helen Wygal, Bill graduated from Highland Park High School, where he was a member of the Varsity Basketball team.

Bill enlisted in the Marines in World War II, completing basic training at MCRD in San Diego. He landed with the 2nd Marine Division at Tarawa and served in campaigns on Saipan and Tinian.

Bill’s brother, Larry, played football at the University of Iowa and went on to fly B-24 Liberators in Europe.

After World War II, Bill bought his first house in Coronado at 612 Ninth St., where he lived until he joined the Army, completing Officer Candidate School, Jump School, and the Infantry Officer course. He then served with the 24th Infantry Division in Japan, which led to a short tour in

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