World War II Honoree

William I. Woodell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Staunton, Virginia

Honored By

C.E. Pfeiffer Jr.

Relationship

Friend

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON NOVEMBER 3, 1941. RECEIVED MOST OF HIS TRAINING AT KEESLER FIELD, MISSISSIPPI AND WILLIAMS FIELD, ARIZONA. RECEIVED WINGS AND COMMISSION AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT ON NOVEMBER 3, 1943. ON MARCH 10, 1944, HE LEFT FOR DUTY IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, ASSIGNED TO THE 36TH SQUADRON, EIGHTH FIGHTER GROUP, FIFTH AIR FORCE. PROMOTED TO FIRST LIEUTENANT EARLY IN 1945, AND WAS LEADING HIS SQUADRON BASED IN MINDORO (PHILIPPINES) AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH ON APRIL 14, 1945. AS A P-38 FIGHTER PILOT, HE HAD BROUGHT DOWN TWO JAPANESE ZEROES, FLOWN 127 COMBAT MISSIONS AND HAD 453 1/4 COMBAT HOURS IN THE AIR. HIS DECORATIONS INCLUDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH FIVE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS.