William Hamilton Obituary

William I. "Bill" Hamilton, 92, of Colorado Springs, CO passed away on July 8, 2015. He was born in Mercer, PA, the son of Donald and Margaret Hamilton.

He is survived by his wife, Miriam "Mim" McClelland Hamilton, his son, Gary Hamilton of Melba, ID, his daughter Patricia Meyer of Colorado Springs, CO, grandchildren Erin, Rob, George, John, Ben and Richard and great-grandchildren, Logan, Gaige, Kayden, Lincoln, Quinn, Emily, Wyatt and Maddie.

Bill entered the U.S. Army-Air Corps in 1940 before World War II. He was present at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese surprise attack and served as a ball turret gunner during the early stages of the war. He participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea and the battles for Guadalcanal. He flew over 100 missions and earned a Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal. He returned to the U.S. in 1943 and trained radio operators in B-17's and B-29's for the duration of the war in Pyote, TX. After the war, Bill stayed in the service and progressed through every enlisted rank to become an officer, retiring in 1963 as a Captain. From 1963-1969 he worked for Federal Electric Corporation as an administrator helping to run the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in the Arctic. In 1969 Bill and Mim bought a ranch in Arizona and raised cattle for five years. They proclaimed these years as some of the best of their lives. They lived in Arizona for 39 years, enjoying ranching, playing golf and doing volunteer work. In 2009 they moved to Colorado Springs, CO near their daughter, Pat.

Bill will be buried with military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.