Tonomachi Posted January 16, 2021 Share #1 Posted January 16, 2021 These three pieces came out of a local estate sale and I was able to identify the owner based on the officer's pay data card pictured below. There is supposedly a box of medals that I heard about and since this pilot is the recipient of a Silver Star I am going to try and get them. His obituary reads: Pebble Beach - Willard Clark Fonda, fondly known as "Bill", passed away peacefully on February 18, at the age of 91 with his beloved family holding vigil. Born in Seattle, WA on June 14, 1920, he was a proud father, grandfather, great-grandfather and loving husband to his wife of 65 years, Jeanne, who preceded him in death. No greater love existed. Our extraordinary patriarch was wise, generous and profoundly loving, exuding confidence with loving advice, comforting and supporting his precious family at every opportunity. In 1942, while attending Washington State University, Bill was drafted into World War II and trained as a pilot. Promoted to Captain, he bravely led 50 air missions in the European African Middle Eastern campaign, Operation Torch, which was designed to push the Germans back to Germany in anticipation of D-Day. Operation Torch included General George S. Patton, and Britain's General Bernard Montgomery. Captain Fonda was forced to crash-land his plane, successfully, after completing a mission on the Sicilian Coast. A recipient of the Silver Star, Air Medal, Oak Clusters and seven other medals, he then considered applying for the Jet Fighter Squadron, but instead flew to visit his high school sweetheart and proposed to her that very day. They were married July 29, 1944. Bill lost his beloved Jeanne on January 1, 2009. Bill and Jeanne raised their family in Pacific Palisades, where he owned and operated two Baskin Robbins ice cream stores. In 1970 they relocated to Pebble Beach, where he established Sundance Shutters, installing unique shutters in many local hotels, schools and private homes. He loved woodworking and created unique gifts for his family. Bill loved golf and volunteered for 20 years as a course marshall at the AT&T Pro-Am golf tournament, previously known as "The Crosby." He is survived by his daughter, Lynne Fonda, of Colorado Springs and son, Robert Fonda, M.D., of Newport Beach. His youngest daughter, Laurie Fonda Gile, passed away in 1991. In addition to his children, he is survived by nine grandchildren, Zoe Dombrowski, Beka Gordon Chinery, Jeremy Caraway, Jason Caraway, Zachary Phillips, Scott Gile, Jacob Gile, Clark Fonda, Emilia Fonda; granddaughter-in-law, Topaz Kosorek; plus 13 great-grandchildren and former son-in-law, Vincent Kosorek. The family would like to thank the staff at Sunrise Senior Living, for their extraordinary care and compassion. We would also like to thank Dennis Taylor, at The Monterey County Herald, for his marvelous feature on Dad, which was published September 5, 2011. Memorial services will be held at The Little Chapel by-the-Sea in Pacific Grove on Saturday, March 17 at 1:00pm. He will be interred at El Carmelo Cemetery beside his wife and daughter. Please visit www.thepaulmortuary.com to sign Bill's guest book and leave messages for his family. Published in The Monterey Herald on February 22, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted January 16, 2021 Share #2 Posted January 16, 2021 Nice helmet!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted January 22, 2021 Share #3 Posted January 22, 2021 Great group...the helmet is in amazing condition.... Congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCrustyBosun Posted January 22, 2021 Share #4 Posted January 22, 2021 NICE!! That helmet is suh-weet!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share #5 Posted January 25, 2021 I picked up a couple of more pieces from this estate sale but unfortunately no medals yet. I found this vintage aviator's leather cap piece made by Fonda Gloves out of Seattle, Washington. Does anyone know if this is civilian piece or was it also used by the military? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share #6 Posted January 25, 2021 I found a number of wartime photographs of Willard Fonda at what looks like flight school. There was a unique uniform that I think belonged to Willard Fonda which I placed in the uniform section (see link). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted January 26, 2021 Share #7 Posted January 26, 2021 Civi flight cap. The other stuff and log book is great! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share #8 Posted January 26, 2021 4 hours ago, dmar836 said: Civi flight cap. The other stuff and log book is great! Dave Thanks for the identification. I found a little information concerning this civilian flight cap that it was also worn by motorcyclists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZPhil Posted January 26, 2021 Share #9 Posted January 26, 2021 Excellent research. That B-1 and B-6 look AWESOME!!!! Congrats on picking up this grouping. Semper Fi Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawkhenry Posted January 28, 2021 Share #10 Posted January 28, 2021 Great grouping Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 8, 2021 Share #11 Posted April 8, 2021 This pilots last name is Fonda and the helmet maker is also Fonda. Are they related? Nice group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 8, 2021 Share #12 Posted April 8, 2021 Is the pilot log civilian? What is the name of the plane? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share #13 Posted April 8, 2021 Boy I missed that and I wonder if it is just a coincidence or if he is related to whomever started the company. One other item popped up at the flea market from the same seller which is a description of how he earned the Silver Star medal: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share #14 Posted April 8, 2021 27 minutes ago, manayunkman said: Is the pilot log civilian? What is the name of the plane? The log book looks civilian but all of the flight hours entries under Certificate Number says, "U.S. Army". Here is a picture of the first page and a couple of more pieces of insignia that have come out of this estate sale. These flea market sellers buy entire estates sometimes and then store boxes and boxes of stuff in their garages and have no idea what they have and bring out things little by little to sell and so far no Silver Star. I have no idea what the name of the aircraft is or which one(s) you are referring to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 8, 2021 Share #15 Posted April 8, 2021 I think it says Fairchild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share #16 Posted April 8, 2021 Ok now I know what you are talking about. There are entries for Fairchild, Vultee, AT6, and PT-19A during WW2 and Stearman, Timm, Cessna, Beechcraft, and Cub during 1952. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 8, 2021 Share #17 Posted April 8, 2021 I thought that was Fairchild, it was hard for me to see. Appreciate the additional information and wish you the best of luck in completing the group. Are you in California? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share #18 Posted April 8, 2021 3 minutes ago, manayunkman said: I thought that was Fairchild, it was hard for me to see. Appreciate the additional information and wish you the best of luck in completing the group. Are you in California? Yes and crossing my fingers that the Silver Star surfaces eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 8, 2021 Share #19 Posted April 8, 2021 This should be in the Group forum, combined with the uniform thread, so we don’t loose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted April 8, 2021 Share #20 Posted April 8, 2021 I wonder where he crashed his B-25? Most likely flying from Tunisia to bomb Sicily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted April 8, 2021 Share #21 Posted April 8, 2021 1 hour ago, Tonomachi said: The log book looks civilian but all of the flight hours entries under Certificate Number says, "U.S. Army". Here is a picture of the first page and a couple of more pieces of insignia that have come out of this estate sale. These flea market sellers buy entire estates sometimes and then store boxes and boxes of stuff in their garages and have no idea what they have and bring out things little by little to sell and so far no Silver Star. I have no idea what the name of the aircraft is or which one(s) you are referring to. He lived just a few blocks away from my Grandparents and Great Grandparents houses in Glendale (and probably went to school with my family members). Same telephone exchange too, our number was Citrus 3-3243 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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