William Mundell Gay

William “Billy” Gay was born in Wichita Falls, Texas on 7 July 1921. He grew up on Fillmore Street with his parents, Mattie and William “W.R.” Gay, and siblings John and Margaret. (An older brother, W. R. Junior, died in infancy in 1914; a younger sister, Martha, died in 1931.)

Billy attended Wichita Park High School, and worked at a local filling station after his gratuation in 1939. He went on to attend the University of Texas.

Billy enlisted in the Navy Reserve in the spring of 1942, hoping to become a pilot. He completed ground school and elimination training, and attended advanced flight training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. On 7 April 1943, he earned his wings and a commission as a Marine Corps second lieutenant.

After a few months of additional training in Texas and Florida, Lieutenant Gay was assigned to duty with VMF-224, a veteran Marine fighter squadron due to redeploy to the Pacific.

Billy Gay arrived at Funafuti in the Ellice Islands on 21 October 1943; eight days later, he accepted his appointment as a first lieutenant. The squadron was assigned to patrol duty, and continued their training with daily flights.

The eighth of November 1943 was another training day for VMF-224, with gunnery hops and interception drills dominating the schedule. One flight of Corsairs rendesvouzed at a spot some 43 miles from Funafuti and circled, waiting for their target to appear.

A friendly F4U towing a target sleeve hove into sight, and the Marines began lining up their shots. At around 1400 hours, the routine practice turned tragic when two Corsairs made simultaneous overhead runs on the target. There was a crashing impact as the planes collided, then both fell in long flaming streaks, ten thousand feet to the sea. No parachutes were seen.

The pilots involved were First Lieutenant William Gay and Captain William F. Lucas. Although neither man’s body was recovered, there was no question that both were dead.

News of the accident reached Wichita Falls shortly after Thanksgiving, and was reported in the local papers.

Gunnery hops and interception drills were flown. Captain William F. LUCAS, USMCR, and 1st Lt. William GAY, USMCR, were killed in mid-air collision of their F4U-1 aircraft during a pratice gunnery hop. Planes collided while apparently making simultaneous overhead runs on a banner towed by an F4U-1. Both planes and pilots crashed into the sea forty-three (43) miles Northeast of Funafuti Airfield.  Neither of the pilots or planes were recovered. Plane bureau numbers: 17585 & 17546.

– VMF-224 squadron journal, transcribed online

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Honolulu Memorial