World War II Honoree

William P. Hay

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Richmond, Virginia

Honored By

Adam Lewis

Relationship

Friend

ENTERED SERVICE IN 1942 AFTER GRADUATING FROM HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE. HE EARNED HIS PILOT WINGS AS A NAVAL AVIATOR IN 1943. THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROL LOOKING FOR U-BOATS IN THE CARIBBEAN AS A MEMBER OF VMS-3. THE SQUADRON, BASED AT ST. THOMAS IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, FLEW THE OS2U KINGFISHER AND SBD-5 DAUNTLESS. IN JUNE 1944, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO VMTB-143 AT MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IN SANTA BARBARA. THIS UNIT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 4 'AVENGER' TORPEDO BOMBER SQUADRONS TO BE INTENSIVELY TRAINED FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT FROM CARRIERS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE INVASION OF THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS. BECAME CARRIER QUALIFIED IN NOVEMBER 1944 AND IN APRIL 1945 SAILED TO THE PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS GILBERT ISLANDS CVE-107. IN MAY VMTB-143 PARTICIPATED IN THE OKINAWA CAMPAIGN WHERE IT PROVIDED CLOSE AIR SUPPORT TO MARINES ON THE GROUND. IN JUNE THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO ATTACK THE KAMIKAZE AIRFIELDS ON THE ISLANDS OF THE SAKISHIMA GUNTO LOCATED BETWEEN OKINAWA AND FORMOSA. IN JULY 1945 THEY WERE SENT SOUTH TO PROVIDE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT AT BALIKPAPAN (BORNEO) TO AUSTRALIAN TROOPS WHO CARRIED OUT THE LAST ALLIED INVASION OF THE WAR. THE SHIP RETURNED TO NORTHERN WATERS WHERE IT WAS PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE 3RD FLEET WHEN THE WAR ENDED. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH 5 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, THE MARINE CORPS COMMENDATION MEDAL WITH 2 GOLD STARS, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BATTLE STARS AND THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL.