World War II Honoree

William Smedley Waltman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Honored By

Steven George Schember

Relationship

Son-in-law

LIEUTENANT. SERVED AS A B-17 PILOT STATIONED IN ENGLAND 1943 TO THE END OF THE WAR. HIS PLANE WAS SHOT OVER GERMANY AND HE MANAGED TO FLY IT IN A CRIPPLED CONDITION TO SWEDEN WHERE HE AND HIS CREW WERE HELD FOR SEVERAL MONTHS UNTIL BEING EXCHANGED FOR SOME GERMAN PRISONERS. HE RETURNED TO BOMBING MISSIONS AFTER HIS INTERMENT. HIS PLANE WAS BADLY DAMAGED OVER ANOTHER RUN OVER GERMANY. MOST OF HIS CREW WAS LOST BUT HE MANAGED TO PARACHUTE TO THE GROUND ONLY TO BE CAPTURED AND IMPRISONED IN A GERMAN PRISON CAMP UNTIL HE WAS LIBERATED NEAR THE END OF THE WAR. HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT BADGE, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.