World War II Honoree

William George Check

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Col Glenn W. Passavant

Relationship

Nephew

HE ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES IN JULY 1941. AFTER BASIC TRAINING, HE FIRST TRAINED IN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AT LOWRY FIELD, COLORADO. WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME TO BECOME A RATED OFFICER, HE WENT TO GLIDER SCHOOL AT SOUTH PLAINS ARMY AIR FIELD, LUBBOCK, TEXAS. HE SERVED IN THREE MAJOR OPERATIONS IN EUROPE. HE WAS A GLIDER PILOT ON D-DAY IN OPERATION MARKET GARDEN, AND FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE RECEIVED THREE AIR MEDALS FOR HIS EFFORTS DURING THESE COMBAT OPERATIONS. LATE IN THE WAR, HE TRAINED AND SERVED AS A C-47 PILOT. HE WAS MUSTERED OUT IN FEBRUARY 1946 AND RETURNED TO PITTSBURGH.