Bill Bladen did a lot of great things in his life, said his friend and fellow American Legion member, Bill Robertson of College Park.

Bladen, 86, died early Saturday morning at his home in College Park.

“He was passionate about his World War II service,” said Tom Davis, former commander of American Legion Post 217 in College Park.

During World War II, Bladen parachuted into France on D-Day, June 6, 1944, in the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 82nd Airborne Division. The plane carrying Bladen and his regiment was under fire, and the gas mask strapped to his leg was shot on his way to the ground.

Later, on another jump into Holland, Bladen was wounded in the leg by shrapnel.

After the war, Davis said, Bladen was passionate about helping veterans.

“He said to me, ‘Tom, let’s do something for the guys and gals at Walter Reed. And he just took off with it,” Davis said of Bladen’s fundraising efforts to provide clothing and toiletries to wounded veterans over the past six years. “A lot of times, if we were short $50 for razors or something, he would pay for it out of his own pocket. He was generous like that.”

A lifelong resident of College Park, Bladen was the sixth person to receive a key to the city for his volunteer work with the American Legion Post 217 in College Park and Post 136 in Greenbelt.

“God knows how much stuff we took to [Walter Reed Army Medical Center]l over the years,” said Robertson, adding that Bladen also volunteered at Special Olympics events.

Bladen, who was born July 27, 1925, is survived by his daughters, Pamela Phillips and Sherry Gotshall, and sons William Bladen Jr. and Timothy Bladen, as well as grandchildren Clifford Gotshall Jr. and Mandi Phillips and great-grandchildren Samantha and Jessica Gotshall.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Borgwardt Funeral Home at 4400 Powder Mill Road in Beltsville. A full military funeral will be held at 10:45 a.m. Friday at Maryland Veterans Cemetery Chapel at 1122 Sunrise Beach Road in Crownsville.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Hospice of the Chesapeake.