World War II Honoree

Willard H. Estes

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Shirley, Massachusetts

Honored By

Charles B. Church III

ENTERED THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS FROM BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS IN 1943. BASIC TRAINING AT NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. ATTENDED PILOT TRAINING AT MAXWELL FIELD IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA. SERVED WITH THE 13TH U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS AS A RADIO OPERATOR AND ARIEL GUNNER ON B-25 BOMBERS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. FLEW 27 MISSIONS FROM THE AIR BASE IN PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES. MOST TARGETS WERE IN BORNEO. ON ONE OCCASION, LOST AN ENGINE OVER BORNEO AND PROCEEDED ON ONE ENGINE SAFELY TO A DEPOT IN LEYTE FOR REPAIRS. UNIT WAS READY TO INVADE JAPAN WHEN THE WAR WAS DECLARED ENDED. AWARDED THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE AIR MEDAL, THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. AS A STAFF SERGEANT, HE RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE IN 1946.