B-17 pilot's combat pilot post-war Eastern Airline pilot wings

[pfrost]

Last night I was talking to Chris Norman and Russ Wilson. We were brandishing various bits and bobs of our collection at each other, like gecky fanboys comparing 1st edition She Hulk comic collectibles.

Our discussion turned to some commercial airline stuff.  I have been focusing on early pre-war commercial airline wings and insignia for some time.  I also look for wings from the 1950's and 60's.  Most of those guys flying with the big airlines were originally military pilots.  So I dug out this named 4th (of 5th, depending on how you count them) issue Eastern Airline (EAL) wing, business card, and hat badge.  As we were texting, I got into Ancestry.com to see if I could find out more about J. W. Williams.

 

What I did find was a couple of interesting things. First, his full name was James (Jim) Weldon Williams (born 1923-died in 2011).

From his OBIT:

 

Mr. James Weldon Williams, 88, of Lake Hills in Newnan, Georgia passed away peacefully on Thursday April 28, 2011 at the Southwest Christian Hospice in Union City, Georgia. Mr. Williams was born March 16, 1923 near Staley, North Carolina to George Wesley Williams and Fleta Edwards Williams. He had been a resident of Newnan since 1968. James “Jim” Williams was a member of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Newnan and active for many years in area youth baseball. Mr. Williams, having a lifelong love of flying, served his country as a B-17 co-pilot during World War II. After completing his air cadet training at Independence, Mo. and Pine Bluff, Ar., Mr. Williams completed 35 missions over Germany as a member of the95th Bomb Group/336th Bomb squasron of the Army Air Corp 8th Air Force stationed in Horham, England. Mr. Williams continued to live out his flying dreams as a captain with Eastern Air Lines for more than 37 years, retiring in 1983.

 

I also found a picture of him ca 1980.

 

 

a visit to the 95th BG website was even more interesting. They have all of his 35 missions flown with the 95thBG/336th BS (he was, as his obit says, the co-pilot on Lt Charlie Rose's crew (NOT the famous news anchor).  They were in England flying missions late in 1944 and into 1945, so they missed most of the carnage of early day light flying missions (although they did fly 35 sorties into Germany).  There were even a couple of pictures of him and the Rose crew.

 

From: https://95thbgdb.com/person/7175

 

He flew on a few b-17s, but the main one seems to have been in B-17G 43-39037, called Little Joe.

 

 

 

Finally, there is a nice USMF thread on the squadron insignia used by the 95th BG/336th BS here:

 

 

I will have to go into the vault and see if I have anything from his WWII flying time, but IIRC, I do not.  Still, not a bad "quick and easy" research project done in a couple of hours last night.

 

P

 

[cwnorma]

As an Eastern pilot, would he have been part of the war reserve force?  A lot of those guys were recalled for the Berlin Airlift. Great wing and history!

[manayunkman]

I love your group especially the military commercial connection.

 

Some time ago I posted a WW2 nurse group from a lady who went on to work for TWA after the war.

 

 

[GWS]

Very nice grouping and great research for only a couple of hours!  My Dad was a BTG in the 418th (100th BG) from late '44 to VE day.  Just a thought, wasn't Eddy Rickenbacker one of the founders of Eastern Airlines?  I need to dig out my books on him to verify that, but remember that he was badly injured  in a commercial plane crash at some point. Thanks for posting this interesting group.

 

   Steve

[pfrost]

Yes. Eddie Rickenbacker was a founder of EAL. 
 

thank you. It’s a neat synergy when a couple of interests collide!

[B-17Guy]

Looks great Patrick!