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Hill 488

By Ray Hildreth

Heroines of SOE

By Beryl E. Escott

Message: <blockquote data-quote="John Robertson" data-source="post: 36091" data-attributes="member: 1"> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">SURNAME</li> </ul> Lester <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">FORENAME</li> </ul> William E. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">UNIT</li> </ul> 40 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron + Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Training Center,Eglin AFB <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">RANK</li> </ul> Technical Sergeant <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">NUMBER</li> </ul><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">AWARD</li> </ul> Silver Star with 2 oak leaf clusters <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">PLACE</li> </ul> South East Asia 1969-70 (SS with olc) North Vietnam 1970 (Son Tay) (2nd olc SS) <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">ADDITIONAL INFORMATION</li> </ul> <a href="http://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?media/w-lester.30337/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.specialforcesroh.com/data/xfmg/thumbnail/30/30337-979cbb962cef04bad6463e6141d81c6a.jpg?1591435018" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> Bill Lester was born on May 14, 1936, in Illinois. He enlisted in the  U.S. Army on January 12, 1954, and after completing basic training,  airborne school, and special forces training, he served with the 77th  Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, until he left active  duty on January 11, 1957. Sgt Lester next enlisted in the U.S. Air  Force on October 31, 1957, and served as a Medical Service Specialist at  Stead AFB, Nevada, from October 1957 to September 1958, followed by  service as a Medical Service Specialist with the 735th Aircraft Control  and Warning Squadron at Nouasseur AB, Morocco, from October 1958 to  November 1959. He served as a Medical Service Specialist at the 328th  U.S. Air Force Hospital at Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, from November  1959 to September 1961, and then as a Medical Service Specialist with  the 787th Radar Squadron at Chandler AFS, Minnesota, from September 1961  to February 1962. Sgt Lester next completed rescue and survival  specialist training, and then served as a pararescueman with the 54th  Air Rescue Squadron at Goose AB, Labrador, Canada, from February 1963 to  June 1964. His next assignment was as a pararescueman with the 67th  Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Prestwick, Scotland, from June  1964 to August 1967, followed by service as a pararescueman with the  48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida, from  August 1967 to July 1968. He served as a pararescueman with the 40th  Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai AFB,  Thailand, from July 1968 to July 1970, and then with the Aerospace  Rescue and Recovery Training Center at Eglin AFB, and then at Patrick  AFB, Florida, from July 1970 to February 1971. During this time, TSgt  Lester served as a pararescueman aboard the HH-53 Super Jolly Green  Giant "Apple Two" during the Son Tay Raid, a clandestine mission to  rescue American Prisoners of War in North Vietnam on November 21, 1970.  MSgt Lester next completed refrigeration school, and then served as a  refrigeration specialist with the Civil Engineering Squadron at Patrick  AFB and then at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, until he retired from the Air  Force on November 1, 1974</blockquote>

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