World War II Honoree

Robert F. Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Flora, Illinois

Honored By

Howard Lewis 'Pat' Patton

Relationship

Friend

ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AS A DRAFTEE ON OCTOBER 26, 1942 AT INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. SELECTED FOR THE AIR CORPS, COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING, ATTENDED THE AIRCRAFT ARMAMENT TECHNICAL SCHOOL AT BUCKLEY FIELD, COLORADO, IN 1943, AND THE NEW FLEXIBLE GUNNERY TECHNICAL SCHOOL AT LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, IN 1944. DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON MARCH 15, 1945 BOUND FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ASSIGNED TO AND SERVED WITH THE 332ND BOMB SQUADRON, 94TH BOMB GROUP, OPERATING B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ HEAVY BOMBERS FROM ROUGHAM AIRFIELD NEAR BURY SAINT EDMONDS, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS EARNED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND THE SERVICE RECOGNITION CERTIFICATE FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A SERGEANT ON FEBRUARY 24, 1946 AT THE SEPARATION CENTER, FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY.