In Loving Memory
Willie F. Cone
Bombardier/Navigator
344th Bomb Group, 494th Squadron

My father grew up in Nixon, Texas and enlisted at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in Nov. 1941 at the age of 25. He flew 60 missions in the European theater from June 1, 1944 to March 23, 1945 as a B26 bombardier/navigator and was awarded the Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters. On returning to the States in 1945 he entered the Air Force Reserves and trained as an air traffic controller, and being called up again served during the Berlin airlift and also in the Korean Conflict. After Korea he left the Air Force as a Captain and did air traffic control for the CAA, and then the FAA, until his retirement in 1971. He passed away Dec. 31, 1984. Here are some photos from that time. Only a few are labeled, and we hope that someone might identify some of the guys for us. It's hard to believe he's been gone so long. We wish we had asked him more questions! --Martha Cone

Willie Cone