World War II Honoree

William 'Bill' Monroe Gaston

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bossier City, Louisiana

Honored By

Frances Maudice Cubley Gaston

Relationship

Wife

ENLISTED ON OCTOBER 30, 1940 IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA. WAS SENT TO CAMP BEAUREGARD, LOUISIANA FOR BASIC TRAINING AND THEN ASSIGNED TO ALOE FIELD, VICTORIA, TEXAS. FROM THERE TO SCOTT FIELD, ILLINOIS TO PREPARE FOR OVERSEAS DUTY. NEXT TO NEW BURNSWICK, NEW JERSEY AND ON TO ENGLAND WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE. PARTICIPATED IN ONE MISSION OVER GERMANY ON A B-17 AS A WAIST GUNNER. WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST IN-TRANSIT DEPOT SQUADRON HANDLING AMMUNITION, GASOLINE AND BOMBS. FROM ENGLAND WENT TO FRANCE LANDING D-DAY, H-HOUR ON UTAH BEACH. FOR QUARTERS AND RATIONS WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 15TH SPECIAL BRIGADE, COMBAT ENGINEERS. PROCEEDED FROM THERE TO SAINT-MERE-EGLISE. THERE JOINED BACK WITH ORIGINAL UNIT 1ST IN-TRANSIT DEPOT SQUADRON. AT SAINT-MERE-EGLISE BIVOUAC AREA THE UNIT WAS VISITED BY GENERAL CHARLES DE GAULLE AND PRESENTED WITH THE CROIX DE GUERRE AVEC PALM AWARD FOR LANDING PARTICIPATION IN FRANCE. WAS THEN SENT TO AACHEN, GERMANY AND ON TO FRANKFURT. WAS SENT THE AIR FORCE STATION CLASTRES, FRANCE. RECEIVED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE-EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, CROIX DE GUERRE AVEC PLAME, BRONZE SERVICE STARS FOR CAMPAIGNS IN NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, CENTRAL EUROPE, RHINELAND, BRONZE SERVICE ARROWHEAD, FOREIGN SERVICE IN UNITED KINGDOM, FRANCE, GERMANY. ENLISTED IN REGULAR ARMY NOVEMBER 10, 1945. RETURNED STATESIDE ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP USS MAXWELL AT PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA NOVEMBER 1945.