Bill M. Silkwood, 79, born November 14, 1924, in Temple, Oklahoma, and had been a resident of the Nederland area since 1949.
Bill worked in the Insurance Business with Metropolitan and American National Insurance Companies. He was a retired painting contractor, having worked in the home building industry for many years. After retirement in 1989, he chose to become a Licensed Gun Dealer and was a gun show enthusiast. He graduated from Kilgore High School in 1942.
Bill received extensive training for his military service. He completed nine weeks of Pre-Flight Bombardier training at Ellington Field Texas; five weeks of Flexible Gunnery training at AAFGS Laredo, Texas; eighteen weeks of Advanced Bombardier Bomb training at AAFBS Midland, Texas; ten weeks Pre-Flight Pilot Training at SAACC San Antonio, Texas; ten weeks Primary Pilot training at PFS Lancaster, California; nine weeks Basic Pilot training at BFS, Minter Field, California; and nine weeks Advanced TE Pilot training at AFS, Enid, Oklahoma.
He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps as a 1st Lieutenant; as a Transport Commander on ships from Seattle, Washington to Japan and back; and also on ships from Seattle to Alaska and back. As a pilot, he completed fifty missions as a bombardier in the 15th. Air Force in Italy; completed Pilot Training in A-26 Trainer; instructed personnel in the AT-6 and flew the mail in A-26. As an Administrative Officer, he did company administration such as executive duties, supply duties, investigation, supervised company motor pool, special service and I and E work. As a Chrome Plater, he work for Hughes Tool Company of Houston, Texas, from June 1942 to November 1942. While there he chrome plated landing gears of B-25`s, B-26`s and cargo planes and painted the outsides of the struts.
Survivors include his wife of fifty-nine years, Merle Silkwood of Nederland; two daughters, Linda Vincent and husband, Matt of Port Neches and Rosemary Smith and husband, Bob of Eureka Springs, Arkansas; eight grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; and one brother, Jack Silkwood of Jasper.
Mr. Silkwood was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Silkwood in 1974.
Graveside services will be 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 13, 2004 at Oak Bluff Memorial Park under the direction of Broussard`s, 505 12th Street, Nederland. A gathering of family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday evening, January 12, 2004.