World War II Honoree

Howard L. 'Press' Wilson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Sterling, Kansas

Honored By

Dale, Randolf, Kenneth, Rick and Eve

Relationship

Brother and Howard's Children

ENLISTED SERVICE; FEBRUARY 25, 1943 TO JULY 1943. CADET SERVICE FROM JULY 1943 TO APRIL 1944. BEGAN ACTIVE SERVICE AS SECOND LIEUTENANT; APRIL 15, 1944. AIR FORCES COLLEGE TRAINING DETACHMENT, ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA (3 MONTHS; 1943). AIR FORCES PRE FLIGHT TRAINING, SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA (2 MONTHS, 1943). AIR FORCES PRIMARY FLIGHT TRAINING, SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA (2 MONTHS; 1943). AIR FORCES BASIC PILOT TRAINING, MARANA, ARIZONA (2 MONTHS; 1944). AIR FORCES ADVANCE PILOT TRAINING, WILLIAMS FIELD, ARIZONA (2 MONTHS; 1944). AIR FORCES FIELD GUNNERY TRAINING, AJO, ARIZONA (2 WEEKS; 1944). AIR FORCES TRANSITIONAL TRAINING, VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA (2 WEEKS; 1944). FIGHTER PILOT, TWO ENGINE; OPERATED P-38 AIRCRAFT AND COMMANDED AIR CREWS IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND KOREA FROM JUNE 1945 TO JUNE 24, 1946. SERVED AS INSTRUCTOR ON PIPER CUB AIRPLANES (L4) TO NEW PILOTS ARRIVING WITH 475TH FIGHTER GROUPS FOR A PERIOD OF 2 MONTHS. USED NAVIGATIONAL AIDS AND WAS RESPONSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE PLANES HAD BEEN SERVICED PROPERLY PRIOR TO FLIGHTS. RANK AT SEPARATION; AUGUST 13, 1946; FIRST LIEUTENANT. SERIAL NUMBER 0 773 927.