Honoring life, military service of true American hero, Bill Singleton, on his 100th birthday

By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter

Tami Adams has a problem – a good problem – but a problem, nonetheless. She needs to purchase one hundred candles for her dad’s birthday – Sunday, June 30. William (Bill) Singleton, a child from The Greatest Generation – also known as the G.I. Generation and World War II Generation – will celebrate his birthday at The American Legion Amex on that date at 111 Victoir Stier Drive in Milford, Ohio.

“My dad is a true American hero,” said Tami, who serves as a Senior Accountant Assistant at The Point/Arc in Covington, “And our family is quite excited for this birthday.”

As for Bill, he’s taking it all in stride. In fact, this is nothing compared to what he did for his country 80-plus years ago.

His military career started when he was a senior at Terrace Park High School, according to his daughter. “He took issue with his English teacher, Mrs. Cassidy,” Tami said, “who he claims had her favorites and this did not include dad.

“One day, as the story goes, she called on him in class to give a book report once-too-often and, he quit school. He infers the ‘Singleton temper’ may have played a part in this.”

In 1943, no longer a student – he was drafted and chose the Army Air Corps at the Ft. Thomas induction center.

The rest is history:

Basic Training for Bill was St. Petersburg, Fla.; then six-weeks training on the Norton Bomb Site in Salt Lake City.

Denver was the next stop, at Buckley and Lowry Field. Flexible gunnery training – where he would go up with only the pilot and fire at targets being towed by another plane – was in Ft. Myers, Fla.

“Dad was assigned as the chin turret gunner (Nose Gunner),” Tami said, “and also the bombardier.”

This enabled men to fly with a crew of nine as opposed to ten, Tami said.

“The lead bomber would notify the other planes in the formation when to release their bombs and the other planes would then release,” she said.

In Almagrodo, New Mexico, Singleton’s unit – 487 Bomber Squadron – was formed (1943). Reports show the unit was trained on and flew the B-24 – later in World War II they switched to the B-17.

As fate would have it – Singleton’s base was Lavingham, England, in March, 1944 – and, there was a small village nearby – New Milord. Singleton’s hometown was Milford, Ohio.

“Dad’s first bombing mission was May 7, 1944, and the target was a railway yard at LeAige, Belgium,” Tami said. “He flew 32 missions, and generally, targets were railway yards.”

Bill Singleton was awakened at 2:30 a.m. on June 5, 1944 — D-Day, according to published news reports. He was in the air 19 hours that day. First mission — coastal bombardment.

“Initially, there was a 25-mission limit,” Tami notes, “Dad flew 32.”

Records indicate he flew 233.35 combat hours. When he returned home from his 32nd mission he was told that would be his last.

“He was told if he stayed on and flew additional missions to train new personnel he’d be promoted to Second Lieutenant. He declined,” she said.

The nose art on Singleton’s plane – Problem Child — was painted by Milton Caniff. He was the cartoonist that initially did the comic strip, Terry, and the Pirates – and later Steve Canyon.

William Singleton was honorably discharged on October 23, 1945. He was a Staff Sergeant when he retired.

Happy Birthday William Singleton.