World War II Honoree

Willie Ashley

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Sumpter, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

GRADUATED FROM FLIGHT TRAINING AT TUSKEGEE ARMY AIRFIELD, ALABAMA JULY 3, 1942 AND WAS AWARDED PILOT WINGS. BECAME PART OF A GROUP KNOWN AS THE 'TUSKEGEE AIRMEN'. SERVED AS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE 99TH FIGHTER SQUADRON THAT SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER. FLEW P-40 WARHAWK AND P-51 MUSTANG FIGHTER AIRCRAFT IN CLOSE SUPPORT DIVE-BOMBING AND STRAFING MISSIONS AND AIR COMBAT AND BOMBER ESCORT MISSIONS. PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS IN NORTH AFRICA, SICILY AND ITALY. MET THE ENEMY IN AIR COMBAT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON JUNE 9, 1943. LATER WAS CREDITED WITH A CONFIRMED KILL OF A GERMAN FOCKE-WULF 190 FIGHTER DURING THE ANZIO CAMPAIGN. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND IS AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION.