World War II Honoree

Billie Cline Hamilton

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Van Buren, Arkansas

Honored By

G. H. King

Relationship

Friend

ENTERED SERVICE ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1942 AT NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA AS AN AVIATION CADET IN NAVY V-5 PROGRAM. INITIALLY AT LOUISIANA STATE NORMAL AT NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA. TRANSFERRED TO SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA INSTITUTE AT LAFAYETTE. SOLOED IN PIPER CUB. TRANSFERRED TO UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA AT ATHENS FOR GROUND SCHOOL AND MILITARY TRAINING. RECEIVED BASIC FLIGHT TRAINING AT PRIVATE FLIGHT SCHOOL AT NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, FLYING N2S-5 STEARMAN AND ADVANCED FLIGHT TRAINING AT CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS FLYING SNJ 'TEXAN'. RECEIVED WINGS AS NAVAL AVIATOR AND COMMISSIONED ENSIGN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1944 AT CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. TRAINED IN SBD 'DAUNTLESS' DIVE BOMBER AT JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. REMAINED AS INSTRUCTOR IN THE NAVY FLIGHT SCHOOL AT CECIL FIELD, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. TRAINED FIRST BLACK NAVAL AVIATOR IN U.S. NAVY HISTORY. TRANSITIONED TO SB2-C 'HELLDIVER'. ABOARD USS BON HOMME RICHARD IN PACIFIC AS LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE FLYING 'HELLDIVER' WHEN WWII ENDED. MEDALS RECEIVED: WWII VICTORY, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN, NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE WITH E CLASP, NATIONAL DEFENSE. RETIRED AT RANK OF COMMANDER.