Bill was born in Meridian Mississippi, January 27, 1928; the youngest of six kids.
With four older brothers in military service soon after WWII began, Bill was left behind to finish school. Having ...view moreBill was born in Meridian Mississippi, January 27, 1928; the youngest of six kids.
With four older brothers in military service soon after WWII began, Bill was left behind to finish school. Having a driver's license at thirteen made him popular and vulnerable. He frustrated his parents by getting into numerous “unsavory scrapes”.
Bill was expelled from school in the ninth grade. His parents decided to send to his Aunt where he could go to a country school. The object was to get him away from the bad elements in his life. Unfortunately, this plan didn't work as well as hoped. Soon after his last escapade, Bill talked his father into falsifying an enlistment document so he could join the Navy. He was only fifteen at the time.
Bill served 32 months on the USS PC600, escorting convoys from Eniwetok Atoll to points west in the Central Pacific. When he returned home in 1946 he graduated high school only fourteen weeks behind his Class.
He moved to Oklahoma in 1947, joined the USAF in 1949, and began college night courses to enhance his education. He became quite successful, winning the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1959, 1962, and 1967.
He retired from the Air Force as a Senior Master Sargeant and was hired soon after as a Civil Service employee. He was the Commissary Officer for numerous bases throughout the Air Force during his civilian career. Bill has been retired for several years now but his heart has always had a soft spot for those in the military.
At 82, Bill's time is now spent serving his church, writing his memoires, and sharing his experiences with his family and friends.view less