War clouds were rumbling in Europe before my brother, Carroll Williams, graduated from High school. Some of his friends were joining the Texas National Guard and wanted him to join also. He was not old enough to join without parental permission. My Dad would not grant that permission. The friends plead, but my Dad would not relent.
Shortly after his graduation day in 1939, my brother went to Los Angeles where we had an aunt and uncle. He got a job at Lockheed Aircraft working as a machinist. I knew he was working on airplanes. That sounded glamorous. He also worked for Howard Hughes. When he finished his shift for Lockheed, he would go to another section of the building and work a shift for Howard Hughes. Hughes was developing experimental aircraft to be used in defense.
In 1941 when the United States entered the war and the draft was imminent, he came home and enlisted in the Army Air Corp. After basic training, he was stationed at a base in Italy serving as an aircraft mechanic. The men who kept the planes maintained and in the air knew the crew members of each plane. He told of sitting at the end of the runway as they waited for the planes to return from bombing missions. They knew who was out and would count the planes as they returned. As time passed and some did not return, there was sadness for those crew members who had gone down with their plane.
He was awarded two Bronze Service Stars, a Silver Victory Medal, and American Theater Ribbon.
