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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Lynne Egan

W. M. LaMayeau (January 10, 1918 - September 28, 2004) entered the Army Air Corps on August 26, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated 2nd Lt. Pilot, Class 42H at Ellington Field, Texas. He flew Bombardier and Navigator Cadets, then towed CG-4 Gliders with C-60s and A-25s. He transferred to M.I.T. and then to New York University to work with the Airborne Radar. He joined the ATC at Prescott Isle, Maine and aviated into the Arctic (Labrador, Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland) and then to the Azores flying C-46s, C-47s, and was a Co-Pilot on C-54s. He was sent to Homestead, Florida for Pilot Training in C-54s and was the first 2nd Lt. to graduate.

He picked up a C-109 and crew in Louisville and set off for the CBI via Natal, across Africa to India and Jorhat. He flew 650 hours in the CBI as a Pilot and Instrument Check Pilot in B-24, C-109, C-87, and C-54 Aircraft. He flew mostly to Chengtu, Yunnan Yi, Kunming, Oboe Nan and was one of the first planes into Shanghai with a C-54 load of Chinese Brass.

His most memorable experience? He entered a thunderstorm (unknowingly) at night in a C-109 at about 20,000 feet. There was lightning and severe turbulence, when suddenly St. Elmo's Fire started to play over the ship. It continued to grow until all four propellers seemed to be turning in barrels of fire. He and his crew started upwards like a fighter-interceptor with all engines in almost idle. They fought to keep the plane level and slightly nose-down so that when they came out they could recover. The storm disgorged them above 33,000 feet. They were covered with ice, but were able to get the nose down and ease down to warmer levels to melt the ice.

He joined the Minnesota Air National Guard and flew A-26s and F-51s for four years, at which time his unit was called up as a group for the Korean action.
He was happily married for 62 years. He has 3 children, 3 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, and 14 great-great grandchildren.