Willard James Gress
Willard "Will" James Gress was born on January 5, 1920, in Glendive, Montana, to William "Bill" and Sadie Gress. His mother immigrated from Switzerland with her father, a master cheese maker. Gress was his parent's only child, and the family moved to Tacoma, Washington in 1924. He was heavily involved in his school and community growing up. This included being a member of Lincoln High School's swimming team, the Aviation Club, the Tacoma Sea Scout Bugle and Drum Corp member, and a "Student Leader" who worked with younger athletes teaching them the fundamentals of multiple sports. Gress worked as a Tacoma Times carrier boy and enjoyed photography as a hobby. He graduated from Lincoln High School on June 8, 1936.
Gress enrolled as a chemical engineering major at Washington State College (WSC) from 1938 to 1941. He stood 6'4" tall and had blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. From 1939 to his enlistment, he was a Pine Manor resident, a member of the Associated Engineers, and a mining organization called the Associated Muckers.
Gress served in the National Guard for three years and the ROTC for two years. In April 1941, at age twenty-one, the US Army Air Corps Northwest Traveling Examination Board accepted him as a flying cadet. He formally enlisted on December 13, 1941. He completed his primary and basic training at the Cal-Aero Flying School in Ontario, California, on February 19, 1942, and April 21, 1942, respectively. He started his advanced training on April 29, and graduated from Twin Engine Pilot School at the Army Air Forces flying school at Victorville, California. Upon his graduation on June 23, 1942, Gress was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant. On July 7, he married Alice "Leanora" Peak in Las Vegas, Nevada. Leanora had been living in Pomona, California but was originally from Winchester, Illinois. On July 13, 1942, Gress briefly transferred to March Field, California before being transferred to McChord Field, Tacoma, Washington where he flew five flights. On August 1, 1942, he transferred to the 348th Night Fighter Command School in Orlando, Florida and completed his first flight on August 17. He graduated from the 348th Night Fighter Command School on December 5.
Gress was assigned to overseas duty with the 415th Night Fighter Squadron in 1943. The 415th's army patch was designed by Disney and includes a design that resembles Donald Duck. On March 22, 1943, him and his unit boarded the SS Empress of Scotland and docked on march 31. Gress was stationed in England at the RAF Twinwood base near Bedford, England. He was trained as a Beaufighter. On April 15 and 17, 1943, two American Beaufighters from the 415th squadron crashed into Putnoe Woods in training accidents. The first was Fred Dyer, who crashed into the woods on April 15, 1943, when "attempting a turn at too low a speed." Gress was the second Beaufighter who died within forty-eight hours on April 17, 1943. While attempting to land, he overshot the training field and hit a tree, killing him instantly. The military promoted Gress to 1st lieutenant on April 1, 1943; however, he was killed before being notified.
Gress was first buried in England but was returned to Washington for re-burial. He was buried in the Mountain View Memorial Park Cemetery in Lakewood, Washington with full military honors on March 5, 1946. He was memorialized on a plaque of fallen soldiers from Pine Manor. He was survived by his father, Bill, who died on October 26, 1967; mother, Sadie, who died on November 10, 1969; his widow, Leanora, and son, James "Jim" Willard Gress, who was born on May 15, 1943, in Jacksonville, Illinois, only a month after his father's death. Bill and Sadie were heartbroken by their only son's death and never changed anything in his childhood bedroom.
Following her husband's death, Leanora remarried on May 6, 1945, to Robert "Bob" J. Lawrence. Lawrence was one of Gress's best friends and lived one block from him in Tacoma. Bob and Leanora were married for fifty-three years. Bob died on May 7, 1998, and Leanora on May 29, 2007. the had two children, Roberta Ann Lawrence Simms and John Allen Lawrence.
Willard Gress's legacy continues through his family: his son, Jim Gress, two grandchildren, Jacob Willard and Jolea; and four great-grandchildren: Audrey, Kelvyn, Otto, and Odin, who he never met, but who are touched by his memory. Gress's only son Jim followed in his father's footsteps and became an engineer and served in the United States Airforce. After graduating with a BS and MS in Aeronautical Engineering, Jim served for almost twenty-three years in the USAF, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. While in the military, he served as a Command Pilot, Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot, and Flight Examiner. He also worked in engineering and program management in the development of weapon systems. After retiring from the military, Jim worked for eighteen years at Northwest Airlines in Flight Operations in management. He also flight-tested new systems and completed maintenance function checks. Jim believes that his career path was a combination of inherited traits and abilities from his father who pursued an engineering degree in college and was a military pilot.
Thank you to Jim Gress and his family for graciously sharing the stories, memories, and photographs they gathered on Willard Gress and helping the Fallen Cougars Project honor his memory. Also, thank you to both Will and Jim for their military service.