BRIG GEN US AIR FORCE
Brigadier General William R. Yancey was born at Parkin, Ark., in 1914. He moved to Fayetteville, Ark., in 1926, finishing high school there and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1937. He was appointed a flying cadet in July 1937, completing his training at Kelly Field, Texas, in June 1938, and commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to active duty. On Pearl Harbor Day he was with the 50th Fighter Group at Meridian, Miss. They moved to Orlando, Fla. and became the demonstration unit for the Air Force Tactical School. He assumed command of Kissimmee AFB, Fla., and the 349th Night Fighter Squadron in 1943. That squadron was the first night fighter unit to be established, and was where all night fighter units were trained for overseas combat. In 1944 he moved with them to Hammer Field, Calif., and became director of operations and chief of Night Flight Training. In late 1944 he was assigned to China, where he assumed command of the 3rd Fighter Group in North China, and remained with them until the end of war. After the war he and a small number of his 3rd Fighter Group staff officers remained with the Chinese Air Force as U.S.A.F. advisers. He served under Gen. George Marshall, and became Air Attache to Chiang Kai-Shek. He served in this capacity throughout 1946 and part of 1947. Upon his return to the U.S. he was assigned to Andrews AFB, Md.Subsequent assignments took him to: Topeka AFB, Kan., Offutt AFB, Neb., Maxwell AFB, Ala, and March AFB, Calif. It was at March AFB in 1955 that he was given 20 officers that comprised the group that met at a secret base in Nevada every week to work on a super-secret project: the U-2. He and his group flew test flights with that aircraft, and then trained all the U-2 pilots, including Francis Gary Powers. Upon completion of that project he was stationed in London, England. After England, he was assigned as commander of the 96th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas, and was there promoted to Brig. General. He continued in this capacity until his move to Castle AFB, Calif. in July 1961 as commander, 47th Air Division. From Castle AFB, he also commanded the bomber squadrons at Roswell N.M. and March AFB, Calif., which then comprised the largest air division in SAC. His last assignment was Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton Ohio, where he retired from the A.F. He then gladly accepted the offer to move to Palm Desert in 1966 to become the first tournament Director of the Bob Hope Desert Classic, which he led for 17 years. His love of golf and his desire to assist the Eisenhower Medical Center with the contributions from that annual tournament, made that a dream job for him. He passed away at home on Dec. 2, 2013 and is survived by his wife, Wilda, and his two sons, Bill Jr. & Eben. A memorial celebration service will be held at the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church, 47-321 Hwy 74, at 2 PM on Sat., Jan. 4, 2014. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made in William's name to Eisenhower Medical Center.
Published in The Desert Sun from Dec. 10, 2013 to Jan. 3, 2014.
DECORATIONS AND MEDALS
Legion of Merit
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
American Defense Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
National Defense Service Medal
China Air Force Mao Chi Medal
Special Breast of Yun Hui Medal
(Current as of October 1964)
Brigadier General William R. Yancey was born at Parkin, Ark., in 1914. He moved to Fayetteville, Ark., in 1926, finishing high school there and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1937. He was appointed a flying cadet in July 1937, completing his training at Kelly Field, Texas, in June 1938, and commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to active duty. On Pearl Harbor Day he was with the 50th Fighter Group at Meridian, Miss. They moved to Orlando, Fla. and became the demonstration unit for the Air Force Tactical School. He assumed command of Kissimmee AFB, Fla., and the 349th Night Fighter Squadron in 1943. That squadron was the first night fighter unit to be established, and was where all night fighter units were trained for overseas combat. In 1944 he moved with them to Hammer Field, Calif., and became director of operations and chief of Night Flight Training. In late 1944 he was assigned to China, where he assumed command of the 3rd Fighter Group in North China, and remained with them until the end of war. After the war he and a small number of his 3rd Fighter Group staff officers remained with the Chinese Air Force as U.S.A.F. advisers. He served under Gen. George Marshall, and became Air Attache to Chiang Kai-Shek. He served in this capacity throughout 1946 and part of 1947. Upon his return to the U.S. he was assigned to Andrews AFB, Md.Subsequent assignments took him to: Topeka AFB, Kan., Offutt AFB, Neb., Maxwell AFB, Ala, and March AFB, Calif. It was at March AFB in 1955 that he was given 20 officers that comprised the group that met at a secret base in Nevada every week to work on a super-secret project: the U-2. He and his group flew test flights with that aircraft, and then trained all the U-2 pilots, including Francis Gary Powers. Upon completion of that project he was stationed in London, England. After England, he was assigned as commander of the 96th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas, and was there promoted to Brig. General. He continued in this capacity until his move to Castle AFB, Calif. in July 1961 as commander, 47th Air Division. From Castle AFB, he also commanded the bomber squadrons at Roswell N.M. and March AFB, Calif., which then comprised the largest air division in SAC. His last assignment was Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton Ohio, where he retired from the A.F. He then gladly accepted the offer to move to Palm Desert in 1966 to become the first tournament Director of the Bob Hope Desert Classic, which he led for 17 years. His love of golf and his desire to assist the Eisenhower Medical Center with the contributions from that annual tournament, made that a dream job for him. He passed away at home on Dec. 2, 2013 and is survived by his wife, Wilda, and his two sons, Bill Jr. & Eben. A memorial celebration service will be held at the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church, 47-321 Hwy 74, at 2 PM on Sat., Jan. 4, 2014. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made in William's name to Eisenhower Medical Center.
Published in The Desert Sun from Dec. 10, 2013 to Jan. 3, 2014.
DECORATIONS AND MEDALS
Legion of Merit
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
American Defense Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
National Defense Service Medal
China Air Force Mao Chi Medal
Special Breast of Yun Hui Medal
(Current as of October 1964)
BRIG GEN US AIR FORCE
Brigadier General William R. Yancey was born at Parkin, Ark., in 1914. He moved to Fayetteville, Ark., in 1926, finishing high school there and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1937. He was appointed a flying cadet in July 1937, completing his training at Kelly Field, Texas, in June 1938, and commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to active duty. On Pearl Harbor Day he was with the 50th Fighter Group at Meridian, Miss. They moved to Orlando, Fla. and became the demonstration unit for the Air Force Tactical School. He assumed command of Kissimmee AFB, Fla., and the 349th Night Fighter Squadron in 1943. That squadron was the first night fighter unit to be established, and was where all night fighter units were trained for overseas combat. In 1944 he moved with them to Hammer Field, Calif., and became director of operations and chief of Night Flight Training. In late 1944 he was assigned to China, where he assumed command of the 3rd Fighter Group in North China, and remained with them until the end of war. After the war he and a small number of his 3rd Fighter Group staff officers remained with the Chinese Air Force as U.S.A.F. advisers. He served under Gen. George Marshall, and became Air Attache to Chiang Kai-Shek. He served in this capacity throughout 1946 and part of 1947. Upon his return to the U.S. he was assigned to Andrews AFB, Md.Subsequent assignments took him to: Topeka AFB, Kan., Offutt AFB, Neb., Maxwell AFB, Ala, and March AFB, Calif. It was at March AFB in 1955 that he was given 20 officers that comprised the group that met at a secret base in Nevada every week to work on a super-secret project: the U-2. He and his group flew test flights with that aircraft, and then trained all the U-2 pilots, including Francis Gary Powers. Upon completion of that project he was stationed in London, England. After England, he was assigned as commander of the 96th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas, and was there promoted to Brig. General. He continued in this capacity until his move to Castle AFB, Calif. in July 1961 as commander, 47th Air Division. From Castle AFB, he also commanded the bomber squadrons at Roswell N.M. and March AFB, Calif., which then comprised the largest air division in SAC. His last assignment was Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton Ohio, where he retired from the A.F. He then gladly accepted the offer to move to Palm Desert in 1966 to become the first tournament Director of the Bob Hope Desert Classic, which he led for 17 years. His love of golf and his desire to assist the Eisenhower Medical Center with the contributions from that annual tournament, made that a dream job for him. He passed away at home on Dec. 2, 2013 and is survived by his wife, Wilda, and his two sons, Bill Jr. & Eben. A memorial celebration service will be held at the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church, 47-321 Hwy 74, at 2 PM on Sat., Jan. 4, 2014. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made in William's name to Eisenhower Medical Center.
Published in The Desert Sun from Dec. 10, 2013 to Jan. 3, 2014.
DECORATIONS AND MEDALS
Legion of Merit
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
American Defense Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
National Defense Service Medal
China Air Force Mao Chi Medal
Special Breast of Yun Hui Medal
(Current as of October 1964)
Brigadier General William R. Yancey was born at Parkin, Ark., in 1914. He moved to Fayetteville, Ark., in 1926, finishing high school there and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1937. He was appointed a flying cadet in July 1937, completing his training at Kelly Field, Texas, in June 1938, and commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to active duty. On Pearl Harbor Day he was with the 50th Fighter Group at Meridian, Miss. They moved to Orlando, Fla. and became the demonstration unit for the Air Force Tactical School. He assumed command of Kissimmee AFB, Fla., and the 349th Night Fighter Squadron in 1943. That squadron was the first night fighter unit to be established, and was where all night fighter units were trained for overseas combat. In 1944 he moved with them to Hammer Field, Calif., and became director of operations and chief of Night Flight Training. In late 1944 he was assigned to China, where he assumed command of the 3rd Fighter Group in North China, and remained with them until the end of war. After the war he and a small number of his 3rd Fighter Group staff officers remained with the Chinese Air Force as U.S.A.F. advisers. He served under Gen. George Marshall, and became Air Attache to Chiang Kai-Shek. He served in this capacity throughout 1946 and part of 1947. Upon his return to the U.S. he was assigned to Andrews AFB, Md.Subsequent assignments took him to: Topeka AFB, Kan., Offutt AFB, Neb., Maxwell AFB, Ala, and March AFB, Calif. It was at March AFB in 1955 that he was given 20 officers that comprised the group that met at a secret base in Nevada every week to work on a super-secret project: the U-2. He and his group flew test flights with that aircraft, and then trained all the U-2 pilots, including Francis Gary Powers. Upon completion of that project he was stationed in London, England. After England, he was assigned as commander of the 96th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas, and was there promoted to Brig. General. He continued in this capacity until his move to Castle AFB, Calif. in July 1961 as commander, 47th Air Division. From Castle AFB, he also commanded the bomber squadrons at Roswell N.M. and March AFB, Calif., which then comprised the largest air division in SAC. His last assignment was Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton Ohio, where he retired from the A.F. He then gladly accepted the offer to move to Palm Desert in 1966 to become the first tournament Director of the Bob Hope Desert Classic, which he led for 17 years. His love of golf and his desire to assist the Eisenhower Medical Center with the contributions from that annual tournament, made that a dream job for him. He passed away at home on Dec. 2, 2013 and is survived by his wife, Wilda, and his two sons, Bill Jr. & Eben. A memorial celebration service will be held at the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church, 47-321 Hwy 74, at 2 PM on Sat., Jan. 4, 2014. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made in William's name to Eisenhower Medical Center.
Published in The Desert Sun from Dec. 10, 2013 to Jan. 3, 2014.
DECORATIONS AND MEDALS
Legion of Merit
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
American Defense Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
National Defense Service Medal
China Air Force Mao Chi Medal
Special Breast of Yun Hui Medal
(Current as of October 1964)
Gravesite Details
Obituary shared by djyancey (#48011771)
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