World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
William F. Williams, Jr.
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: 1ST LIEUTENANT. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS MAY 22, 1942 AT CLEVELAND, OHIO. HE WAS TUSKEGEE AIRMAN, WHO WAS A NORTH AMERICAN P-51 ‘MUSTANG’ FIGHTER PILOT ASSIGNED TO THE 301ST FIGHTER SQUADRON, 332ND FIGHTER GROUP ‘RED-TAIL ANGELES’, 306TH FIGHTER WING, U.S. 15TH AIR FORCE STATIONED AT RAMITELLI AIRFIELD, TERMOLI, ITALY. REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1944 ON A BOMBER ESCORT MISSION TO AN OIL REFINERY NEAR LINZ, AUSTRIA. DURING THE MISSION, HE DISAPPEARED FROM HIS FLIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND INSTRUMENT FLYING RULES ‘IFR’ HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED. HE IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE EPINAL AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT EPINAL (VOSGES), FRANCE. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: AIR MEDAL AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT.