William Ernest "Wild Bill" Shockley, MAJ, USAF (ret), died on July 7, 2010, at the age of 87, at his home in Lubbock, Texas.
Bill was born on October 23, 1922, in Paducah, Texas, and grew up in Texas. He joined the Army Air Corp on November 18, 1940, at the age of 17, making him the first volunteer from Chavez County, TX to enlist under President Roosevelt's Selective Service Act. This Act called for men to register for the draft in November, 1940 for a one-year hitch, but Bill just kept extending. He served with the 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX, and was stationed in England in 1942-43. He returned to the U.S., took liaison pilot training and became a member of the "Flying Sergeants," and earned the nickname "Wild Bill" due to his daring escapades.
He was stationed in China in 1947 and in Korea, where he was designated the first expert director in the Eastern Air Defense Force. After Korea, he went to Formosa and was stationed at a Pescadores Islands radar site. He undertook radar training at Panama City, Florida, in 1953. In 1958 he returned to Roswell, NM, and served with the Strategic Air Command, 686th AC&W Squadron as a weapons controller at Walker AFB. He spent time in Germany in 1962-63, and retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1968.
He married Lillian Mertie Baker in 1947. He is survived by his eight children: Sandra Jean, Barbara Ann, William Ernest, Jr., Leslie Michael, Patrick Samuel, Daniel Ray, James Timothy, and Michael Paul, as well as siblings Ray Wesley, Betty Francis, and Carroll Dean. He is predeceased by his parents, Samuel Ernest Shockley and Mary Etta Elledge; daughter, Teresa Elaine; and siblings, Abigail Inez, Raymond Leslie, and Mildred Jean.
Visitation for friends and family is scheduled for Sunday, July 11, 2010, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., at Sanders Funeral Home, 1420 Main Street, Lubbock, TX, 79401. Graveside services are scheduled for Monday, July 12, 2010, at 10:30 a.m., at the City of Lubbock Cemetery, 2011 31st St., Lubbock, Texas.
Bill was born on October 23, 1922, in Paducah, Texas, and grew up in Texas. He joined the Army Air Corp on November 18, 1940, at the age of 17, making him the first volunteer from Chavez County, TX to enlist under President Roosevelt's Selective Service Act. This Act called for men to register for the draft in November, 1940 for a one-year hitch, but Bill just kept extending. He served with the 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX, and was stationed in England in 1942-43. He returned to the U.S., took liaison pilot training and became a member of the "Flying Sergeants," and earned the nickname "Wild Bill" due to his daring escapades.
He was stationed in China in 1947 and in Korea, where he was designated the first expert director in the Eastern Air Defense Force. After Korea, he went to Formosa and was stationed at a Pescadores Islands radar site. He undertook radar training at Panama City, Florida, in 1953. In 1958 he returned to Roswell, NM, and served with the Strategic Air Command, 686th AC&W Squadron as a weapons controller at Walker AFB. He spent time in Germany in 1962-63, and retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1968.
He married Lillian Mertie Baker in 1947. He is survived by his eight children: Sandra Jean, Barbara Ann, William Ernest, Jr., Leslie Michael, Patrick Samuel, Daniel Ray, James Timothy, and Michael Paul, as well as siblings Ray Wesley, Betty Francis, and Carroll Dean. He is predeceased by his parents, Samuel Ernest Shockley and Mary Etta Elledge; daughter, Teresa Elaine; and siblings, Abigail Inez, Raymond Leslie, and Mildred Jean.
Visitation for friends and family is scheduled for Sunday, July 11, 2010, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., at Sanders Funeral Home, 1420 Main Street, Lubbock, TX, 79401. Graveside services are scheduled for Monday, July 12, 2010, at 10:30 a.m., at the City of Lubbock Cemetery, 2011 31st St., Lubbock, Texas.
William Ernest "Wild Bill" Shockley, MAJ, USAF (ret), died on July 7, 2010, at the age of 87, at his home in Lubbock, Texas.
Bill was born on October 23, 1922, in Paducah, Texas, and grew up in Texas. He joined the Army Air Corp on November 18, 1940, at the age of 17, making him the first volunteer from Chavez County, TX to enlist under President Roosevelt's Selective Service Act. This Act called for men to register for the draft in November, 1940 for a one-year hitch, but Bill just kept extending. He served with the 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX, and was stationed in England in 1942-43. He returned to the U.S., took liaison pilot training and became a member of the "Flying Sergeants," and earned the nickname "Wild Bill" due to his daring escapades.
He was stationed in China in 1947 and in Korea, where he was designated the first expert director in the Eastern Air Defense Force. After Korea, he went to Formosa and was stationed at a Pescadores Islands radar site. He undertook radar training at Panama City, Florida, in 1953. In 1958 he returned to Roswell, NM, and served with the Strategic Air Command, 686th AC&W Squadron as a weapons controller at Walker AFB. He spent time in Germany in 1962-63, and retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1968.
He married Lillian Mertie Baker in 1947. He is survived by his eight children: Sandra Jean, Barbara Ann, William Ernest, Jr., Leslie Michael, Patrick Samuel, Daniel Ray, James Timothy, and Michael Paul, as well as siblings Ray Wesley, Betty Francis, and Carroll Dean. He is predeceased by his parents, Samuel Ernest Shockley and Mary Etta Elledge; daughter, Teresa Elaine; and siblings, Abigail Inez, Raymond Leslie, and Mildred Jean.
Visitation for friends and family is scheduled for Sunday, July 11, 2010, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., at Sanders Funeral Home, 1420 Main Street, Lubbock, TX, 79401. Graveside services are scheduled for Monday, July 12, 2010, at 10:30 a.m., at the City of Lubbock Cemetery, 2011 31st St., Lubbock, Texas.
Bill was born on October 23, 1922, in Paducah, Texas, and grew up in Texas. He joined the Army Air Corp on November 18, 1940, at the age of 17, making him the first volunteer from Chavez County, TX to enlist under President Roosevelt's Selective Service Act. This Act called for men to register for the draft in November, 1940 for a one-year hitch, but Bill just kept extending. He served with the 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX, and was stationed in England in 1942-43. He returned to the U.S., took liaison pilot training and became a member of the "Flying Sergeants," and earned the nickname "Wild Bill" due to his daring escapades.
He was stationed in China in 1947 and in Korea, where he was designated the first expert director in the Eastern Air Defense Force. After Korea, he went to Formosa and was stationed at a Pescadores Islands radar site. He undertook radar training at Panama City, Florida, in 1953. In 1958 he returned to Roswell, NM, and served with the Strategic Air Command, 686th AC&W Squadron as a weapons controller at Walker AFB. He spent time in Germany in 1962-63, and retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1968.
He married Lillian Mertie Baker in 1947. He is survived by his eight children: Sandra Jean, Barbara Ann, William Ernest, Jr., Leslie Michael, Patrick Samuel, Daniel Ray, James Timothy, and Michael Paul, as well as siblings Ray Wesley, Betty Francis, and Carroll Dean. He is predeceased by his parents, Samuel Ernest Shockley and Mary Etta Elledge; daughter, Teresa Elaine; and siblings, Abigail Inez, Raymond Leslie, and Mildred Jean.
Visitation for friends and family is scheduled for Sunday, July 11, 2010, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., at Sanders Funeral Home, 1420 Main Street, Lubbock, TX, 79401. Graveside services are scheduled for Monday, July 12, 2010, at 10:30 a.m., at the City of Lubbock Cemetery, 2011 31st St., Lubbock, Texas.
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