So I was doing an entirely different project in 2025, before AI helped me get this site going. That is Uncle Jack McWilliams on the far left. I should say Lt. Jack McWilliams pilot of a B25 Mitchell somewhere deep in the China-Burma-India Theater, near the end of World War II.
The project I was attempting to do was to find out his bomber group and the details to the 81 missions he flew. Yes that isn’t a misprint. 81! But it all came to a screeching halt in October of last year, when the government shut down. You see I had found his death certificate which had my uncle’s service numbers. That was the golden ticket.
Now that the government is back open I plan on contacting the National Personnel Records Center (NRPC) and the National Archives. I’m very interested in the four men next to him as well. This was a very decorated group. Here is a list of my uncle’s achievements.
81 air missions, in which he was given an air medal with one oak cluster….An Air medal, I believe was given after a certain number of missions.
3 battle stars on his Asiatic ribbon with one Oak Leaf Cluster. Jack fought in the CBI or the China/Burma/India theater. I’m interested in what those stars represent.
Lastly he and his crew were given a Presidential Unit Citation, and Uncle Jack, the Distinguished Flying Cross. The PUC is for extraordinary achievement by a unit collectively, and the DFC is for heroism or extraordinary achievement involving aerial flight.. This is the lottery ticket. I’m hoping to find out the reason Jack and his men were given these honors.
My Uncle passed when I was 13. He was also my godfather. I knew he was a pilot in World War II and flew those 81 missions. But nothing else. Now I want all that information. It’s important to me and especially to the family.
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