World War II Honoree

Henry Lloyd Willett, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lawtons, New York

Honored By

Judith Dye Willett

Relationship

Spouse

Dropped out of law school at The University of Buffalo in 1942 to join the U.S. Army Air Corps. After receiving basic and advanced pilot training in Texas, he was assigned to the 781st Squadron, 465th Group, which flew B-24 bombers out of Pantenella Air Force Base in Italy. He flew more than 50 missions over German held territory. It was on one of these missions, over Vienna, Austria, that his B-24 was badly shot up and lost power in two of the four engines. The damage was so extensive to the aircraft that he could not stay with the returning squadron and had to limp back to base solo. For bringing the crippled aircraft and crew safely back to his base in Italy, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Before the war was over, he would earn the Distinguished Flying Cross with 3 oak leaf clusters.