Obituary of William T. Herod

WILLIAM T. HEROD, SR., 93 of Piscataway, NJ died on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 peacefully at home after a prolonged illness. William was born on May 6, 1921 in Timmonsville, South Carolina to George William Herod and Essie Johnson-Herod. Much of his earliest years were spent with his family in Florida, where George William was an in-demand carpenter. William's family addressed the challenges of the great depression that followed the 1929 stock market crash by seeking opportunities that remained available in Newark, NJ where William attended the Westside High School. He initially studied photography and accumulated a unique collection of classic camera which he kept throughout his life. Always committed to his creative nature, but facing practical realities, William entered baking school, where he was a top student and was recruited as a teaching assistant. Expecting not to face the draft as the result of his employment on a contract as a baker for the US Army Quartermaster, he was shocked to receive a draft notice in December, 1942 and after unexpectedly passing a physical exam, owing to his acknowledged flat feet, William was inducted into the US Army and referred to Camp Kilmer, NJ----now a part of the Rutgers University campus in Piscataway, for training. In fairly short order, William found himself near Savannah, Georgia in an all-Black Anti-Aircraft/Artillery unit---and continuing baking school. His attention to detail and leadership qualities led to his appointment as company clerk with the rank of corporal---becoming the first Black non-commissioned officer in the battalion. Simmering racial tensions of a very familiar type between the now rather large Black unit and the surrounding communities eventually erupted into a riot that saw the Army break up the large 207th battalion into a number of smaller units and these then dispersed throughout the country. William's unit found itself in California in 1944, on its way to New Guinea for the invasion of that island. William recalled a fateful Army decision that, he felt, played a large role in his surviving the war. As the 207th disembarked for the first wave of what promised to be a bitter fight, the unit was removed from the landing craft and a nearby white unit was dispatched in their place. This turn of events was the outcome of an accusation of disorderly conduct charged against the white unit, the punishment for which was assignment to land first in the invasion. Partly as a result of this, the 207th was never introduced into the battle. However, when the outcome of the invasion was publicized 10 days later, it was revealed that the unit that replaced them in the invasion boats had taken 95% casualties in the landing, leaving only ten men in that unit. When Corporal Herod was Honorably discharged from the Army in January, 1946, and landed in California, his first phone call was to a girl by the name of Marion---whom he'd met through a previous girlfriend. Their call got off to a chilly start with her question of "do you have any idea what time it is?" But things went more smoothly after his answer to her question which was "Yes, will you marry me?" Marion and William were married in St. John's church in Newark in June of that year moved into Williams' father's large house. With support from his father, William and, was able to enter the carpenter's union and by the time they moved into the house he designed and built himself in Piscataway, the family had grown to three children---Marilyn, Bill, Jr. and Stephen. William and his sons gradually expanded the house themselves and additionally constructed the furniture in the home to order. He was an avid photographer, Boys Scout Master in the City of Newark for many years, and served as a member of the VFW. William was an Elder at Elmwood United Presbyterian Church, where he served in the church leadership for many years. His hobbies included expert gardening, accomplished baking & cooking and an extraordinarily comprehensive knowledge America's music---jazz. He most particularly enjoyed spending time with his friends and family, among whom he is survived by 2 children living, Marilyn H. Martin (Mrs. Arthur Martin, Sr.) and Stephen H. Herod, and the memory of one son, William T. Herod, Jr. (Deceased). He also leaves behind 3 grandchildren, Maurie Brown, Arthur N. Martin, III & Melissa Herod, 4 great-grandchildren, Anaiyah, Zaria, Jordan, and Grady V, and 2 brothers living, Thomas Herod (Gloria), Charles Herod (Tina), the memory of brother Paul Herod (Deceased) and a host of other family and friends. William was predeceased by his first wife Marion McClary and his second wife Henrietta (Mickie) Herod. In lieu of flowers, donation can be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tribute Program -William Herod, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, Tenn. 38148 or The Alliance Lupus Research- (Team Kickin It For Anaiyah), 28 West 44th Street Suite 501 NY 10036.