W. Wyeth Willard was born on July 12, 1905 at Marshfield Hills, Massachusetts. He received a B.A. in 1927 from Brown University, and went on, in 1931, to receive a Masters degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. In the late 1920s he established a summer camp in Forestdale, Massachusetts, Camp Good News, which continues in operation. Willard served, briefly, as pastor of the Federated Church in Kingston, Massachusetts, prior to enlisting as a chaplain during World War II. According to the Brown Alumni Magazine, Willard was "credited with serving more consecutive days under constant enemy fire than any chaplain in the history of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps."
Willard wrote four books, most notably The Leathernecks Come Through which chronicles Willard's personal experiences and observations during the military campaigns at Guadalcanal and Tarawa in 1942 and 1943. Willard's last pastorate was at the First Presbyterian Church of Waltham, Mass., where he served for 22 years before retiring in 1982. Willard's obituary appeared in the May/June 2000 issue of the Brown Alumni Magazine.
From the description of W. Wyeth Willard assorted papers 1935-1982. (Old Colony Library Network). WorldCat record id: 77119186
