Dates

• Existence: 1906 June 19 - 1990 November 28

Biography

MacPherson "Mac" B. Williams was a pilot for the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War.

MacPherson Berrien Williams was born June 19, 1906 in Augusta, Georgia to MacPherson Berrien Williams (1872-1914) and Julia Sanders (Carmichael) Williams (1874-1941). He had two sisters. Williams graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1930 and then had a long career in the U.S. Navy. Over the course of this career, he served on board the Saratoga (CV-3), Enterprise (CV-6), Yorktown (CV-5), Essex (CV-9), and Yorktown (CV-10). He achieved the rank of Rear Admiral by the end of his career. After World War II, he served in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations. In about 1947 he was stationed in the Philippines and by 1949 he was posted to China. In 1949 he became Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Activities at Severn River Naval Command, in Annapolis, Maryland. By 1956 he was assigend to Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, in Washington State, as chief of staff for operational or training flights. Williams retired from military service in 1959.

During his World War II service in the Pacific theater, Williams had a noteworthy bail-out event. He was leading a morning strike on December 16, 1944 near Manila Bay, Philppines. After he and his wing man Jake Jones dropped their bombs, they headed north along the Pasig River and delivered a low-level attack on where they suspected were hidden Japanese aicraft, but a small antiaircraft hit his engine. A fire started and soon entered the cockpit, forcing Williams to bail out. He landed in enemy territory, but was rescued by guerrilla fighters. They him and helped treat his injuries, and eventually helped deliver him to the USS Orca.

Williams married Mary W. Miller (1908-2006) on November 29, 1930 in New York, New York. MacPherson B. Williams died November 28, 1990 and is buried in the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.

Biographical note derived from collection materials and records on Ancestry.com.

Gender

• male

Occupations

• Air pilots
• Military officers

Found in 1 Collection or Record: