World War II Honoree

William F. Dovalovsky

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

West Elizabeth, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Family

MAJOR, 315TH BOMBER WING, 351ST GROUP. ENLISTING AT AGE 19, HE WAS FIRST STATIONED AT VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE SERVED AS AN INSTRUCTOR. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO LIBERAL, KANSAS, WHERE HE CONTINUED TEACHING B-24 AIRCRAFT PILOTS. HE WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO BOCA RATON, FLORIDA, WHERE HE SPECIALIZED IN RADAR BOMBING AND NAVIGATION. HE WAS TRANSFERRED BACK TO VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE COMPLETED RADAR INSTRUCTION AND GRADUATED WITH A DISTINGUISHED STUDENT DESIGNATION. HE WAS STATIONED IN JAMAICA AND GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA WHERE HE FLEW 6 DAYS A WEEK; TAUGHT PILOTS, RECEIVED TRAINING, AND BECAME AN EXPERT WITH PINPOINT RADAR BOMBING AT 30,000 FEET. HE WAS RECOMMENDED FOR THE 95TH COMPOSITE GROUP AND REQUESTED TO REMAIN WITH HIS UNIT WHEN THEY WERE DISPATCHED TO GUAM. IN GUAM, HE AND HIS UNIT LED B-29 BOMBING RUNS OVER MAINLAND JAPAN UNTIL THE WAR ENDED. HE WAS DISCHARGED MAY, 1946.