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39th Bomb Group (VH)
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Gunner's Badge
Pilot's
Badge
Decorations


with 2
br_oak2.jpg [Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster]

Unit Citation
and Awards

arpuc.jpg [The Presidental Unit Citation]


with
Oak Leaf Cluster
Service Awards

amcamp.gif [The American Campaign Medal]

apcm.jpg [The Asiatic-Pacfic Campaign Medal]

with
star1.gif [Bronze Star]


wwiivic.gif [The Victory Medal, World War II]


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1st Lt William James Dess
Pilot

Separated from service Sept. 1947, recalled April 1951

Established Field Maintenance April 1955 in Aviano, Italy

Returned to states June 1958 to Castle Air Force Base, Merced as Field Maintenance officer.

Transferred to HQ 15th Air Force at Riverside, CA

1964-1966 served as advisor to Republic of Korea Air Force Depot.

1966-68 ti USAF Institue of Techology at Wright Patterson , Fairborn, OH , as Chief of Maintenance Section .

June 30, 1969 retired as Lt. Col. and returned home to Sacramento, CA.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1969, I went to work for Parks and Recreation of the State of California and later for the Forestry division. I retired from the State in July 1989.

Family: Married Mary Emily Proctor on August 28, 1944 at Geneva Army Air Base. We have five children: Jay (1946), Greg (1948), David (1953), Nancy (1957), and Mark (1962. )

We will celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary this August, 2004.

William J. Dess took his Final Flight on 22 May 2015

"He received full funeral honors at his funeral -- a three-volley gun tribute, flag folding and presentation, a bugler playing Taps, all courtesy of an eight-person Travis AFB Honor Guard. It was lovely. He was interred with his 39th Bomb Group baseball cap, which he wore all the time" - Nancy Dess, daughter
 

Crew 18 Main Page
60th Squadron Crew Index
Source: William J. Dess, Pilot, Nancy Dess, daughter