World War II Honoree

Albert M. 'Al' Willoughby, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Union Point, Georgia

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941 FOLLOWING THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. APPLIED FOR AND WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM. UPON COMPLETION OF ADVANCED FLYING TRAINING, EARMARKED FOR HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT FOLLOW-ON TRAINING, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS, AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. SERVED AS A B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' BOMBER PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 100TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP 'THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH'. BASED AT THORPE ABBOTTS IN ENGLAND AS PART OF THE 8TH AIR FORCE, HE FLEW 35 MISSIONS OVER OCCUPIED EUROPE, INCLUDING GERMANY. PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE-EUROPE, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER AND 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. ALSO AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION WITH BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS GROUP ON TWO OCCASIONS INCLUDING AT REGENSBURG, GERMANY ON AUGUST 17, 1943, AND AGAIN OVER BERLIN, GERMANY ON MARCH 4,6, AND 8, 1944. CONTINUED IN U.S. AIR FORCE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL.