World War II Honoree

Winford Miller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Honored By

Winford Miller

INSTRUCTOR. TRAINED MECHANICS FOR REPAIRING B-29 BOMBERS AND LATER BECAME AN INSPECTOR GIVING THE FINAL OKAY BEFORE THE PLANE COULD FLY. STATIONED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER ON GUAM. WHILE THERE, THE ISLAND WAS SHARED BY THE NAVY AIR FORCE, AND A FEW JAPANESE. WHILE WE WEREN'T UNDER CONSTANT FIRE, THERE WERE RISKS. IT WASN'T THE ISLAND DREAM. SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS; IT WAS OUR JOB TO KEEP THE PLANES FLYING, PULLING PARTS FROM ONE TO PUT ON ANOTHER. IN ONE CASE, WE HAD A B-29 WHERE THE BOMB BAY DOORS WOULDN'T OPEN. WE RIGGED A HAND CRANK TO GET THEM TO WORK. THAT MEANT THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OUT ON THE WING OF THE PLANE WHILE IN FLIGHT AND CRANK THE DOORS OPEN.