Virginia Department of Education Commonwealth of Virginia, department of education
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09587.133 Author/Creator: Virginia Department of Education Place Written: Roanoke, Virginia Type: Document Date: 10 June 1942 Pagination: 2 p. ; 21.5 x 28 cm. Order a Copy
Diploma awarded to Eugene Warsenure Williams for graduating from Lucy Addison High School. It is signed by the Principal, Superintendent of Schools, and Chairman of School Board. There is a seal and stamp from the school. Bottom left corner of reverse says in pencil "Eugene Warsenure Williams."
Eugene W. Williams
Eugene W. Williams was the fifth of the six Williams children. He was born in Roanoke, Virginia, on May 21st, 1924. He graduated from Lucy Addison High School on June 10th, 1942 (GLC09587.133). In the fall of 1942, he enrolled in the Hampton Institute (GLC09587.134). On November 19th, 1943, he was accepted into the Hampton Institute Aviation Cadet Air Crew Training (GLC09587.137) to train to be a Tuskegee pilot like his brother, LeRoi Williams, who had recently been killed while training. On February 25th, 1944, he was certified as a marksman (GLC09587.139) and on February 9th, 1945, he was promoted to Sergeant (GLC09587.141). He earned his diploma from the Tuskegee Institute on March 13th, 1945, in elementary flying (GLC09587.142). He graduated from the Tuskegee Institute on August 4th, 1945 (GLC09587.149). He was qualified to be a pilot on October 29th, 1945 (GLC09587.151). On July 8th, 1947, he was promoted to First Lieutenant (GLC09587.159). As a pilot in the United States Air Force, he served in Tunisia and Germany. He wrote many loving letters home to his mother, signing them to "keep sweet" (GLC09587.167). He died on September 14th, 1949, due to an engine malfunction that caused his plane to crash into a church steeple (GLC09587.171) in Gibelsadt, Germany (GLC09587.193). He is most likely buried in Williams Memorial Park in Roanoke, Virginia.
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