World War II Honoree

William F. Gregory

Hometown

Winter Park, Florida

Honored By

William F. Gregory

Relationship

Self

AT THE AGE OF FOURTEEN DURING NON-SCHOOL HOURS, I WORKED AT A 'US ARMY AIR FORCE OBSERVATION POST' AS AN 'AIRCRAFT SPOTTER.' I COULD IDENTIFY AIRCRAFT BY THEIR SILHOUETTE! I COULD ALSO IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF ENGINES ON THE AIRCRAFT BY THEIR SOUND. AS SOON AS I IDENTIFIED AN AIRCRAFT, I REMOVED THE RECEIVER FROM THE PHONE AND WAS IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE 'FIRST FIGHTER COMMAND.' THE 'FIRST FIGHTER COMMAND' WAS LOCATED AT 'MITCHEL FIELD' IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. I GAVE THEM A PASSWORD INDICATING OUR LOCATION AND THEN MADE THE REPORT. AFTER MAKING THE REPORT, I WENT BACK TO LOOKING FOR AIRCRAFT. WE HAD LONG RANGE BINOCULARS TO INCREASE OUR VIEW DISTANCE. I BECAME ACCOMPLISHED IDENTIFYING OUR AIRCRAFT AND ENEMY AIRCRAFT. I WORKED AT THE POST AND SPOTTED AIRCRAFT FROM 1942 TO THE END OF THE WAR.