William Merriweather Peña
 William Merriweather Peña, as a young man |
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Ed Nye, Wallie Scott, and Willie Peña at CRS in 1957
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William Merriweather Peña with Princess Astrid of Belgium
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William Merriweather Peña, FAIA also referred to as Wille Peña (born February 10, 1919) is an American architect and partner of Caudill Rowlett Scott. He is known for being a leading proponent in the area of architectural programming. A World War II veteran, he received a Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Peña was born on February 10, 1919 in Laredo, Texas, where his father Eduardo F. Peña was a grocer. He attended attended St. Augustine Catholic School in the city and in 1937 he graduated from Laredo High School. He was a Boy Scout and in high school he was president of the Pan American Student Club and co-editor of The Journal, the school paper.
Prior to World War II, he was a student at Texas A&M University. In 1941, he was a junior, wearing a military uniform in his class picture and was identified as an Intelligence Sergeant. He graduated with a bachelor's degree on May 16, 1942.
On May 17, 1942, Peña was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and entered officer training. In September 1944, he was sent to Europe. In December 1944 he fought at the Battle of the Bulge. He was one of 20,000 soldiers from Texas A&M University at the battle in the Ardennes forest of France, Luxembourg, and Belgium. A captain, he was one of the nearly 15,000 officers from A&M at the Battle of the Bulge.
He was near Schleiden, Germany in March 1945, repairing a communications line, when a landmine explosion resulted in the loss of his leg. He returned to the United States, receiving treatment at an Army hospital in Utah and a hospital in San Francisco. During that time, he developed an interest in classical music. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Belgium developed the idea for the "From Texas to Bastogne: Texas Aggies Go to War" exhibit for the 70th anniversary of the battle. The interactive exhibit that honors the soldiers and features five specific soldiers, including Peña, was located in 16 rooms of an old convent in Bastogne, Belgium for two years before being moved to College Station, Texas in 2016. The Mardasson Memorial at Bastogne displays a "large-scale, outdoor dramatization of the exhibit".
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