World War II Honoree

George Louis Wills

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jefferson, Georgia

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 29 AUGUST 1941 AT FORT MCPHERSON NEAR ATLANTA, GEORGIA. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL TRAINING AT PRATT ARMY AIR FIELD, KANSAS. DEPLOYED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 73RD BOMB WING, 497TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 870TH BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 3 DECEMBER 1944, HE FLEW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE PORT SCANNER BLISTER STATION ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, TAIL CODE A-SQUARE-30 (SERIAL # 42-63461). IT WAS ONE OF 86 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE MUSASHINO AIRCRAFT WORKS AND NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT ENGINE FACTORY NEAR TOKYO, JAPAN. FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY WAS HEAVY AND ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE. HE WAS KILLED ON THE RETURN ROUTE, WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND WAS FORCED TO DITCH IN THE OCEAN APPROXIMATELY 22 MILES NORTHEAST OF SAIPAN.