World War II Honoree

William W. Cox

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Ashland, Kentucky

Honored By

William W. Cox Jr.

Relationship

Son

WAS ASSIGNED TO 31ST WEATHER SQUADRON- 2ND WEATHER GROUP. FLEW SECRET MISSIONS OVER JAPAN MAPPING WEATHER FOR ATOMIC BOMB MISSIONS. MISSIONS WERE UNARMED AND HAD ENGINE FAILURE AND CRASHED IN OCEAN WHERE HE SPENT 17 HOURS IN WATER AND WAS PICKED UP BY PBY PLANE. HIS PLANE WAS A 'BOCKS CAR'. WENT ON MISSIONS AND WAS NOT 'SUPPOSED' TO RETURN AND SURPRISED SUPERIORS BY RETURNING. DISCOVERED HIS BELONGINGS WERE DIVIDED UP AMONG OTHERS BECAUSE HE WAS NOT EXPECTED BACK. ALSO FLEW B-29 AND HIS PLANE 'HAPLESS HATTIE' MADE EMERGENCY LANDING AT IWO JIMA AS THE MARINES TOOK THE AIR FIELD. THE FIRST MARINE HE SAW WAS AN OLD HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND.