World War II Honoree

William Loyd Fitzgerald

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Flora, Illinois

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

VOLUNTEERED FOR AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AS A NAVAL AVIATION CADET IN THE NAVY V-12 COLLEGE TRAINING PROGRAM ON 1 NOVEMBER 1943. ASSIGNED CONSECUTIVELY TO THE NAVY V-12 UNIT AT MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE, CLINTON, MISSISSIPPI; THE NAVY V-12 UNIT AT HOWARD COLLEGE, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA; AIR TRANSPORT SQUADRON VR-6, NAVAL AIR FACILITY, DINNER KEY, FLORIDA; NAVY PRE-FLIGHT SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA AND NAVAL AIR STATION, GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS, AT WAR’S END. INJURED DURING TRAINING THERE, AND RELEASED FROM ACTIVE SERVICE TO THE INACTIVE RESERVE AS AN AVIATION CADET, V-5 ON 25 SEPTEMBER 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE 9TH NAVAL DISTRICT, GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS AND THE NAVAL SERVICE ON 30 JUNE 1947. EARNED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.