World War II Honoree

Wilmer Earl 'Bill' Goad

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Muskogee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE, APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A PILOT. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TRAINING, WAS EARMARKED FOR FOLLOW-ON TRAINING ON HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. SERVED AS A B-24 'LIBERATOR' HEAVY BOMBER PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO), DURING THE WAR. FLEW 37 MISSIONS, INCLUDING OVER ITALY AND GERMANY. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS UNIT IN COMBAT. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.