William S. Van Nostrand was born on July 28, 1910, in Merrill, Lincoln County, Wisconsin. He was the son of William Strangtharm Van Nostrand Sr. and Marie C. Van Nostrand. He was married to Jane Burke. He graduated from Merrill High School in 1928. After attending Carleton College in Minnesota, he received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from Wisconsin’s 11th District, entering with the Class of 1934. Upon graduation, Van joined the Cavalry, serving with the 7th Cavalry at Fort Bliss, Texas, and later trained as a student officer at Randolph Field’s Air Corps Primary Flying School in 1936 before returning to the 1st Armored Cavalry Squadron. He went on to attend the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, completing both the Regular and Advanced Equitation Courses (1938–1940), followed by assignments at Fort Knox with the Armored Force and finally with the 26th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Stotsenburg, Philippines.

In September 1941, William was assigned to help mobilize the Philippine Army, beginning with the 2nd Battalion, 61st Regiment, 81st Division on Panay Island. As war loomed, American advisors were given combat commands, and Van became Executive Officer of the 61st Infantry Regiment, earning promotion to Major. His unit later moved to Negros, and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, was transferred to Mindanao, arriving on January 1, 1942. When the Philippines fell in May 1942, Van was captured and imprisoned at Davao POW Camp No. 2 on Mindanao before being transferred in June 1944 to Cabanatuan Camp No. 1 on Luzon. In December 1944, he was among the prisoners loaded onto the unmarked Japanese transport Oryoku Maru bound for Japan. After the ship was bombed by U.S. aircraft in Subic Bay on December 15, Van survived by swimming ashore to Olongapo but was later placed aboard another transport, the Enoura Maru, in Lingayen Gulf. On January 9, 1945, while the ship was anchored at Takao Harbor, Formosa (Taiwan), it was bombed again. Van was fatally wounded by shrapnel, dying of internal injuries.

Col Van Nostrand's name is memorialized in the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph in the Merrill Memorial Park, Merrill, Lincoln County, Wisconsin, USA.

Silver Star Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Colonel (Cavalry) William Starr Van Nostrand (ASN: 0-19522), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as Commanding Officer of the 81st Infantry Regiment (Philippine Army), in action against the enemy in Davai Province, Mindanao, Philippine Islands, in 1942. Lieutenant Colonel Van Nostrand traversed dangerous jungle trails to personally inspect and visit the personnel of his command. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Lieutenant Colonel Van Nostrand, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, alumni.westpointaog.org, weremember.abmc.gov, valor.militarytimes.com