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Showing posts from September, 2014

An Airman's Story: Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Willis

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Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Willis was born on 7 September 1886 to R. Henry, a teacher, and Jesse Willis. He attended the Citadel, graduating in 1908. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Willis was first ordered to the 6th Infantry, and on 1 January 1910, his unit deployed to Mindanao, Philippines. He was accepted into the Signal Corps Flight School and became a military aviator. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Willis was stationed at Fort Sill, OK, Fort Sam, TX, and Columbus, New Mexico, with the First Aero Squadron. He flew during the Mexican Expedition, crashing twice. After one, realizing that his plane was totaled, he set fire to it and walked 65 miles back to San Antonio with a broken ankle. On 1 September 1918, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Willis was ordered to become the Chief of Air Service of the Seventh Army Corps but died on 13 September from an accidental weapons discharge. General Pershing wrote a letter to his father, praising Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Willis, referring to hi...

An Airman's Story: Sergeant William Preston Bostic

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Sergeant William Preston Bostic was born on October 5, 1917, in Detroit, Michigan. Sergeant William Bostic attended Ann Arbor high school and enlisted in the US Army Air Services on November 28, 1940, in response to World War II. He was assigned to the Tuskegee Airmen and headed to Alabama for training and deployment orders. Ruth Buchanan, also known as “Aunt Ruth,” wrote to Sergeant Bostic. Sergeant William Bostic wrote of being tired of waiting to get orders in his letters. He also spoke of how enlightening travel is and pestering his future grandchildren with stories. He ultimately served in both the European and Pacific theaters. After the war, Sergeant William Bostic moved to California and died on November 14, 2002. His ashes were scattered in the Garden of Remembrance at the El Toro Memorial Park in Lake Forest, California. * Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here* **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and pho...