Capt C R Williams USMCR (Ret.)

Foil: 5 Panel: 3 Column: 2 Line: 68

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Dr. Anitra Fay

Clarence R. Williams was one of the first three aerial navigators in the US Marine Corps. He volunteered for service in the USMC Jan 20, 1942, completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego, CA and later qualified as aviation machinist mate, aerial gunner, and bombardier. Selected for training at Camp Kearney where the first USMC Air Navigation School was established in 1942, he was later assigned to Marine Photographic Squadron VMD 154 and served in the Pacific through the Guadalcanal and New Georgia Campaigns and did patrol bomber duty from a base on Funafuti during the Marshall Islands Campaign. He received a field commission in Jan 1944.

During a second tour of duty as 1stLt he was navigator in the Transport Air Group (TAG), Guam. After Aug 1945 he was navigator for a task force that surveyed bomb damage done by US forces on Rabaul and other Japanese strongholds. Capt. Williams retired after 17 years in USMC and USMCR Aviation, including active duty and active reserves.