Malcolm Earl Williams ²⁷²

   Another name for Malcolm was Mac.

Morning Sentinel
Waterville, Maine
August 22, 2010

Malcolm Earl Williams

WATERVILLE -- After more than a year of illness, Malcolm Earl Williams, 92, of Francis Street, passed away at home early Friday, Aug. 20, 2010, with his loving family surrounding him.

He was the oldest of four children of George L. and Iona Ella (Bishop) Williams and was born in Waterville on Jan. 10, 1918.

Mac, as he was known, was a graduate of Waterville Senior High School, class of 1936. During his education years, he supplemented the family income by working in gardens, hayfields and shepherding cows to the fields for the day. Shortly after high school, during the Depression, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to help support his mother and siblings as his father was frequently hospitalized from tuberculosis. While in the CCC, he was stationed at Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, Greenville (Kokadjo), and his favorite area, Patton. He was in charge of the infirmary there.

Late in the 1930s, he enrolled in the Sisters Hospital of Nursing. When World War II started, he enlisted on May 19, 1942, in the U.S. Army (USAAF) and became a surgical technician assigned to Bradley Field, Windsor Locks, Conn., and then to Bowman Field in Kentucky. Following his training, he was assigned to the 816th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron and shipped to England and assigned to a C-47 as a flight nurse. He made numerous trips to recently liberated areas in central Europe and Africa, including 16 round trips with wounded from England and Scotland to America, all of those trips in unarmed C-47s. He participated in D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and evacuated the soldiers safely to England. Campaigns he participated in were Normandy, Ardennes, Central Europe and Africa and the Rhineland. In England, he was assigned to Bury St. Edmunds Airfield, Columbia Field, Tibenham, England, and Prestwick, Scotland. His awards included the Air Medal, Good Conduct, American Campaign, Europe African Middle Eastern Theater Medal with four bronze service stars, Victory Medal, Battle of the Bulge and D-Day Campaign. He was especially proud to receive his aviation wings. He was honorably discharged on Aug. 18, 1945. In 1948, he joined the Army National Guard assigned to the Signal Corps and was a wire chief. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 15, 1952, with the rank of sergeant first class. He married Ruth E. McCann of Bangor, who was the love of his life, on Nov. 20, 1941, and they were happily married for 62 years. She passed away on Sept. 14, 2004.

He is survived by his three children and their spouses, Elizabeth Ann Martin and Milton of Canaan, Michael Williams Sr. and Bonnie of Waterville, Rebecca Tracy and Paul of Raymond; grandchildren and their spouses, Toby Bradford and David of St. Albans, Timothy Lecrone and Sherrie of Waterville, Jamie LeCrone of Fairfield, Michael Isgro and Hannah of Portland, Matthew Isgro of Portland, Michael Williams Jr. and Stacy of Lewiston, Stephanie Williams of Greensboro, N.C., Derek Veilleux and Jude of Gorham, Jeffery Williams and Jessica of Vincensa, Italy, Kelly Munroe of Standish, Christopher and Daniel Tracy of Raymond and Michelle Brown of Sanford; great-grandchildren, Kealeigh, Christian and Sophia Bradford of St. Albans, Caelan, Ty and Alex LeCrone of Waterville, Trinitee and Gavin Snyder of Standish, Michaela and Lincoln Williams of Lewiston, Kayla Williams and Marshall Tillett of Greensboro, N.C., Ava and Meerah Bella Isgro of Portland and Hailey Morgan Williams of Tamaqua, Pa.

Friends and relatives may visit from 7-9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 23, at the Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm St., Waterville. Committal prayers with full military honors will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday Aug. 24, at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery Chapel Mount Vernon Road in Augusta.

Mac was very passionate about giving to others and had requested that donations be given to the Wade Slack Fund c/o Alan Slack, 2 Pleasant St., Waterville, ME 04901 or to the Humane Society Waterville Area, 100 Webb Road, Waterville, ME 04901.

  Events

• He appeared on the census in 1930 in Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine. He lived in the household of his parents.

• He had a residence in Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine.

Malcolm married Ruth Esther McCann, daughter of Patrick E. McCann and Lillian M. Morris, 20 November 1941.⁷⁵⁹⁹ (Ruth Esther McCann was born 6 December 1916 in Orono, Penobscot County, Maine,^272,7600 died 14 September 2004 in Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine ^7600,7601 and was buried 22 September 2004 in Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery ⁷⁶⁰⁰.)