World War II Honoree

William Allen Goss

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Glendale, California

Honored By

George Weck

Relationship

Friend

MAJOR. ENLISTED IN 1941. DUE TO HIS COLLEGE DEGREES, HE WAS SENT TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS) AND TAUGHT AIR CADETS AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION AT A PRE-FLIGHT SCHOOL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE WAS MOVED TO THE AIR FORCE HISTORY PROJECT. WHILE HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A MAJOR, HE CONTINUED TO WORK ON THE HISTORY PROJECT AS A CIVILIAN. IN THE LATE 1940'S, HE SPENT HIS SUMMER PROFESSIONAL BREAKS IN THE PENTAGON PERFORMING HISTORICAL RESEARCH USING THE LETTERS, ORDERS AND OTHER OFFICIAL RECORDS TO RECONSTRUCT THE AIR FORCE'S WWII HISTORY. THIS RESEARCH CULMINATED IN THE OFFICIAL HISTORY CHAPTERS REGARDING THE AIR DEFENSE OF THE U.S. AND THE ORGANIZATION OF THE AIR FORCE DURING WWII. HE ALSO WROTE A CHAPTER ON THE HISTORY OF ONE OF THE CAMPAIGNS DURING THE TIME OF PEARL HARBOR, WHICH INCLUDED DOMESTIC REACTIONS TO JAPANESE ACTIONS LIKE THE INCENDIARY BALLOONS AND SURFACING JAPANESE SUBMARINES.