Former Braintree Police Officer, WWII Veteran Dies

BRAINTREE, MA — William Varosso, 94, a WWII veteran and former Braintree police officer has died. Police announced the death of the Purple Heart recipient on Thursday evening.

"Known to many as 'Officer Bill', he was the town's first safety officer and will forever remain a legend to the Braintree Police," Braintree police said in a Facebook post.

Varroso joined the United States Navy when he was 18. On July 24, 1945, Varroso was aboard a destroyer, the USS Underhill, which was leading a convoy of tank landing ships. Two "suicide submarines," typically operated by one Japanese sailor armed with 3,000 pounds of explosives, rammed the Underhill, splitting the ship and causing it to sink in the Pacific Ocean. Out of the 236 sailors aboard the Underhill, 122 survived, including Varroso.

"We as a department, will send off Officer Bill with the respect he earned due to his lifetime of service to his country, the Town of Braintree, and his countless hours of volunteer work," police said in a statement. "Our most heartfelt condolences go out to Officer Bill's children, grandchildren and the Varroso Family."