Adapted from http://vetaffairs.sd.gov/sdwwiimemorial/SubPages/profiles/Display.asp?P… : William Woodward was seventh in a family of eight children and attended school in Yankton, South Dakota dreaming of someday becoming a pilot in the Army Air Corps. After he graduated from Yankton High School, he enlisted in the Air Force in early 1942. He started attending basic training but because he was color blind, he was not able to realize his dream and he became an aerial gunner. After William’s last leave, he went to Smokey Hill Air Base in Salina, Kansas. When he arrived there, he wrote one of his sisters a letter dated March 14, 1943. In this letter he wrote: "I arrived here at 7:30 this morning. Sure a heck of a trip. We will only be here about ten days. Wish I could have stayed a while longer with the family. Love, Bill." S/Sgt William Woodward was sent overseas not long afterward and was assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group / 407th Bomb Squadron in England. There, he became friends with Miss Peggy Pettit from North Hampshire. Sadly, Tail Gunner Staff Sergent Woodward was shot down while on his 18th mission over Germany on board the B-17 Flying Fortress # 42-30726 on the 14 October 1943 raid to Schweinfurt. His parents were advised that he was reported missing in action and on New Year’s Day of 1944 they received confirmation that he had been killed in action. Miss Pettit corresponded with Bill's family, informing them of his time spent in England. It was she also who was chosen for returning many of William's personal belongings to his parents.