World War II Honoree

Will Smith Prickett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jacksonville, Alabama

Honored By

Susan Prickett Barrs

Relationship

Daughter

HE WAS DRAFTED IN SEPTEMBER, 1941. HE HAD TO REPORT TO FORT MCCLELLAN, ALABAMA. FROM THERE HE WAS SENT TO ATLANTA, GEORGIA. UPON HIS ARRIVAL IN ATLANTA, HE SIGNED UP FOR A 3-YEAR HITCH IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS. HE WAS SENT TO BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI, TO AIRPLANE MECHANICS SCHOOL. THEN HE WAS SENT TO MIDLAND, TEXAS, AND WAS A MAINTENANCE MAN ON A TWIN ENGINE BEACH CRAFT. THEY ALSO TRAINED BOMBARDIERS. AFTER ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS, HE WAS SENT TO CHILDRESS, TEXAS, AND PERFORMED MECHANICAL WORK THERE. THE DUTY OF HIS CREW WAS TO CHANGE ENGINES ON THE BEACH CRAFT. HE THEN RECEIVED ORDERS TO REPORT TO DENVER, COLORADO, TO ATTEND FLIGHT ENGINEERING SCHOOL. THIS WAS IN MAY, 1944. UPON COMPLETION, HE WAS SENT TO WACO, TEXAS, AND WAS LINED UP FOR A B-29 CREW. HIS CREW WENT TO SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, TO PICK UP THEIR B-29 (#A SQUARE 45). HIS B-29 CREW WAS BASED ON THE PACIFIC ISLAND OF SAIPAN, AND THEY FLEW 29 COMBAT MISSIONS OVER JAPAN, AND ONE WEATHER MISSION. EVEN THOUGH THEIR HOME BASE WAS SAIPAN, THEY ALSO LANDED ON THE PACIFIC ISLANDS OF GUAM, IWO JIMA, AND TINIAN. AFTER THE WAR ENDED, THE CREW MADE A SUPPLY MISSION OVER JAPAN TO DROP SUPPLIES TO A PRISONER OF WAR CAMP. HE RETURNED HOME IN SEPTEMBER, AND WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 2, 1945. HE WAS DISCHARGED AS A FLIGHT OFFICER. THROUGHOUT HIS SERVICE HE MADE EVERY GRADE: BUCK PRIVATE, PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, CORPORAL, BUCK SERGEANT, STAFF SERGEANT, TECH SERGEANT, MASTER SERGEANT, AND FINALLY, FLIGHT OFFICER (SAME PAY GRADE AS SECOND LIEUTENANT).