~ IN MEMORY ~

WWII veteran, WAL Capt. William “Bill” Newell

May 8, 1924 ~ May 13, 2025

William Edmond Newell joined Western Airlines 04-10-1950. Remembered and not forgotten….in 2015 the Prescott AZ newspaper ran an interview/article honoring Bill’s service.  Bill became a member of The Caterpillar Club (an international organization for people whose lives were saved by using a parachute to escape a disabled aircraft). Bill was taken as a POW on March 29, 1944.  Some excerpts below are taken from that news article.  Bill did another lovely interview with the local newspaper which you can still view at    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A4KHMMDPBQ  pt.1  and 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FTVd-sccEY   pt.2

World War II Prescott Valley retiree Bill Newell….. 19-year-old fighter pilot, Newell was shot down on 13th Mission over Germany.

“What sustained Newell throughout his ordeal was pictures of his wife – especially one with a lock of her hair carefully tucked inside its plastic wrapping. He has faithfully carried that picture in his wallet ever since.”  Bill and his wife Patricia was a forever love story….Patricia “Pat” passed in 2007.

https://americanarchive.iwm.org.uk/archive/person/william-edmond-newell

Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant

Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Awards: European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Prisoner of War Medal World War II Victory Medal

Assigned 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return from mission, hit by Flak, coolant system streaming glycol, Lt Newell abandoned P-51 43-6759 near Lingen, Germany. 29-Mar-44 POW. MACR 3524.

Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Post War: Retired as VP Flight Operations for Western Airlines having flown for them for 32 years.