The Purple Heart Medal, c. 1945

Bermudian Sgt Granville Burton Williams served in Co B, 317th Eng Bn, 92nd Inf Div of the US Army (the Buffalo Soldiers), the only African American unit to see action in World War 2. Williams was poshumously awarded the Purple Heart after he lost his life on May 2, 1945 in northern Italy while he and others in the 317th Engineer Corp were clearing mine fields. That same day, a ceasefire officially ended hostilities in Italy.