Lieutenant William McClure was more than a young man who gave his life for his country. As you can see and as you have read he was a handsome young man whose life was building, through his hard work and efforts, into a man who would have been an asset to his community and our country.

 

Lieutenant McClure was a junior at Butler University, a member of the Epsilon Mu Chapter of Sigma Nu, and had worked his way up from a copy boy to a reporter while continuing his education. Lieutenant McClure, putting his country first and his life aside, entered the United States Army Air Force in January, 1942. Lieutenant McClure had already completed his Civil Aeronautics Authority training. He was issued a private pilot's license on September 16, 1940, long before the disaster at Pearl Harbor. He served and trained at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama; Orangeburg, South Carolina; Marianna, Florida; Albany, Georgia and Columbia , South Carolina. He earned his wings on December 13, 1942. He was stationed at the United States Army Air Field in Columbia, South Carolina when he left on his final training flight.

 

Lieutenant McClure was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William L. McClure. (His mother was the former Jane Carson.) He is still survived by his five sisters: Mary, Elizabeth, Jane, Eleanor and Ruth, and one brother Robert Bruce McClure. His brother, Robert, also served and was a prisoner of war.

 

Lieutenant McClure's maternal grandfather, Doctor William Carson, founded the Sutherland Presbyterian Church.

 

Lieutenant McClure's best friend and fraternity brother, Lieutenant Dallas F. (Ted) Shadinger died the same day. Both had Christmas leave together that year and had been able to visit with family and friends.

 

The following was received in my guest book on January 18, 2000:

"I was a fraternity brother of Lt Bill McClure at Butler University. He was a super guy. The last time I saw him was at the Indpls airport. We were watching another fraternity brother practicing spins and loops. The irony is that both were killed the same day, Bill in Virginia and Ted in California. Ted was a Marine pilot. ... I was in the Air Force in South Dakota when I learned of his untimely death."

 

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