Billy "Bill" Charles Alexander, 90, of Waco, went to be with Jesus on December 16, 2015. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, December 18, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, December 19, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home, Waco. Interment will follow in Waco Memorial Park.
Bill was born in Grand Saline, Texas, to the late Charlie Monroe and Laura Mae Alexander. He attended school in Grand Saline, Texas and was an active boy scout in Troop 379.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Boot Camp at San Diego, California. He enrolled in Aviation Radio School and Aviation Gunnery School and upon completion was assigned to Bombing Squadron VB-138 at Whidbey Island, Washington.
His squadron was transferred to Pearl Harbor and eventually deployed for combat to the South Pacific in 1943. The squadron flew to Espirito Santo Island, the Fiji Islands, Wallis Island, New Caledonia and Guadalcanal after these territories were secured from the Japanese. The squadron was then sent to the Solomon Islands. His squadron flew 56 bombing missions during the following six months.
His next assignment was to Squadron VPB-124 and was sent to Hutchinson, Kansas, to train in four engine bombers called "Liberators." Bill was sent back to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and assigned to VPB-119 in the Philippines. He flew 54 combat missions to the Chinese coast and to French-Indo China.
When World War II was over, his crew landed the first American aircraft on Japanese soil. Bill was honorably discharged from the United States Navy on January 21, 1946. He had earned the Combat Air Crew Wings with 3 stars, Asiatic Pacific Medal, Air Medal with 3 stars, Philippine Liberation Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Bill then began working for the Texas and Pacific Railway in October of 1946 as a telegrapher. He later became a communications maintainer for the Union Pacific Railroad in Big Spring, Texas, and retired from the railroad after 42 years of service. Because flying was his first love, he started pilot training and received his private, commercial and instructor pilot licenses. He also had a love for Amateur Radio and received his general, advanced and extra class licenses with a call sign W5TOC.
Bill was preceded in death by his sisters: Ruby K. Teal, Georgia L. Pegg, and infant Maudie D. Alexander; and brothers, Clifton and J. Clyde Alexander.
Survivors include his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Alexander, whom he married on August 29, 1947; daughter, Teresa Contreras and husband, Ed, of Waco, Texas; granddaughters, Lisa and Laura Contreras, of Austin; nieces: Becky Hudgins, of Colorado City, Texas, Judy Rankin, of Midlothian, Texas, and Deb Gibson and husband, Don, of Granbury, Texas; nephew, Jim Brown and wife, Liz, of Bulverde, Texas; other relatives and many friends.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 12/18/2015...S20
Bill was born in Grand Saline, Texas, to the late Charlie Monroe and Laura Mae Alexander. He attended school in Grand Saline, Texas and was an active boy scout in Troop 379.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Boot Camp at San Diego, California. He enrolled in Aviation Radio School and Aviation Gunnery School and upon completion was assigned to Bombing Squadron VB-138 at Whidbey Island, Washington.
His squadron was transferred to Pearl Harbor and eventually deployed for combat to the South Pacific in 1943. The squadron flew to Espirito Santo Island, the Fiji Islands, Wallis Island, New Caledonia and Guadalcanal after these territories were secured from the Japanese. The squadron was then sent to the Solomon Islands. His squadron flew 56 bombing missions during the following six months.
His next assignment was to Squadron VPB-124 and was sent to Hutchinson, Kansas, to train in four engine bombers called "Liberators." Bill was sent back to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and assigned to VPB-119 in the Philippines. He flew 54 combat missions to the Chinese coast and to French-Indo China.
When World War II was over, his crew landed the first American aircraft on Japanese soil. Bill was honorably discharged from the United States Navy on January 21, 1946. He had earned the Combat Air Crew Wings with 3 stars, Asiatic Pacific Medal, Air Medal with 3 stars, Philippine Liberation Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Bill then began working for the Texas and Pacific Railway in October of 1946 as a telegrapher. He later became a communications maintainer for the Union Pacific Railroad in Big Spring, Texas, and retired from the railroad after 42 years of service. Because flying was his first love, he started pilot training and received his private, commercial and instructor pilot licenses. He also had a love for Amateur Radio and received his general, advanced and extra class licenses with a call sign W5TOC.
Bill was preceded in death by his sisters: Ruby K. Teal, Georgia L. Pegg, and infant Maudie D. Alexander; and brothers, Clifton and J. Clyde Alexander.
Survivors include his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Alexander, whom he married on August 29, 1947; daughter, Teresa Contreras and husband, Ed, of Waco, Texas; granddaughters, Lisa and Laura Contreras, of Austin; nieces: Becky Hudgins, of Colorado City, Texas, Judy Rankin, of Midlothian, Texas, and Deb Gibson and husband, Don, of Granbury, Texas; nephew, Jim Brown and wife, Liz, of Bulverde, Texas; other relatives and many friends.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 12/18/2015...S20
Billy "Bill" Charles Alexander, 90, of Waco, went to be with Jesus on December 16, 2015. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, December 18, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, December 19, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home, Waco. Interment will follow in Waco Memorial Park.
Bill was born in Grand Saline, Texas, to the late Charlie Monroe and Laura Mae Alexander. He attended school in Grand Saline, Texas and was an active boy scout in Troop 379.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Boot Camp at San Diego, California. He enrolled in Aviation Radio School and Aviation Gunnery School and upon completion was assigned to Bombing Squadron VB-138 at Whidbey Island, Washington.
His squadron was transferred to Pearl Harbor and eventually deployed for combat to the South Pacific in 1943. The squadron flew to Espirito Santo Island, the Fiji Islands, Wallis Island, New Caledonia and Guadalcanal after these territories were secured from the Japanese. The squadron was then sent to the Solomon Islands. His squadron flew 56 bombing missions during the following six months.
His next assignment was to Squadron VPB-124 and was sent to Hutchinson, Kansas, to train in four engine bombers called "Liberators." Bill was sent back to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and assigned to VPB-119 in the Philippines. He flew 54 combat missions to the Chinese coast and to French-Indo China.
When World War II was over, his crew landed the first American aircraft on Japanese soil. Bill was honorably discharged from the United States Navy on January 21, 1946. He had earned the Combat Air Crew Wings with 3 stars, Asiatic Pacific Medal, Air Medal with 3 stars, Philippine Liberation Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Bill then began working for the Texas and Pacific Railway in October of 1946 as a telegrapher. He later became a communications maintainer for the Union Pacific Railroad in Big Spring, Texas, and retired from the railroad after 42 years of service. Because flying was his first love, he started pilot training and received his private, commercial and instructor pilot licenses. He also had a love for Amateur Radio and received his general, advanced and extra class licenses with a call sign W5TOC.
Bill was preceded in death by his sisters: Ruby K. Teal, Georgia L. Pegg, and infant Maudie D. Alexander; and brothers, Clifton and J. Clyde Alexander.
Survivors include his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Alexander, whom he married on August 29, 1947; daughter, Teresa Contreras and husband, Ed, of Waco, Texas; granddaughters, Lisa and Laura Contreras, of Austin; nieces: Becky Hudgins, of Colorado City, Texas, Judy Rankin, of Midlothian, Texas, and Deb Gibson and husband, Don, of Granbury, Texas; nephew, Jim Brown and wife, Liz, of Bulverde, Texas; other relatives and many friends.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 12/18/2015...S20
Bill was born in Grand Saline, Texas, to the late Charlie Monroe and Laura Mae Alexander. He attended school in Grand Saline, Texas and was an active boy scout in Troop 379.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Boot Camp at San Diego, California. He enrolled in Aviation Radio School and Aviation Gunnery School and upon completion was assigned to Bombing Squadron VB-138 at Whidbey Island, Washington.
His squadron was transferred to Pearl Harbor and eventually deployed for combat to the South Pacific in 1943. The squadron flew to Espirito Santo Island, the Fiji Islands, Wallis Island, New Caledonia and Guadalcanal after these territories were secured from the Japanese. The squadron was then sent to the Solomon Islands. His squadron flew 56 bombing missions during the following six months.
His next assignment was to Squadron VPB-124 and was sent to Hutchinson, Kansas, to train in four engine bombers called "Liberators." Bill was sent back to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and assigned to VPB-119 in the Philippines. He flew 54 combat missions to the Chinese coast and to French-Indo China.
When World War II was over, his crew landed the first American aircraft on Japanese soil. Bill was honorably discharged from the United States Navy on January 21, 1946. He had earned the Combat Air Crew Wings with 3 stars, Asiatic Pacific Medal, Air Medal with 3 stars, Philippine Liberation Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Bill then began working for the Texas and Pacific Railway in October of 1946 as a telegrapher. He later became a communications maintainer for the Union Pacific Railroad in Big Spring, Texas, and retired from the railroad after 42 years of service. Because flying was his first love, he started pilot training and received his private, commercial and instructor pilot licenses. He also had a love for Amateur Radio and received his general, advanced and extra class licenses with a call sign W5TOC.
Bill was preceded in death by his sisters: Ruby K. Teal, Georgia L. Pegg, and infant Maudie D. Alexander; and brothers, Clifton and J. Clyde Alexander.
Survivors include his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Alexander, whom he married on August 29, 1947; daughter, Teresa Contreras and husband, Ed, of Waco, Texas; granddaughters, Lisa and Laura Contreras, of Austin; nieces: Becky Hudgins, of Colorado City, Texas, Judy Rankin, of Midlothian, Texas, and Deb Gibson and husband, Don, of Granbury, Texas; nephew, Jim Brown and wife, Liz, of Bulverde, Texas; other relatives and many friends.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 12/18/2015...S20
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