William Elander graduated from High School in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1952, and later received a bachelor’s degree from “The Citadel” in 1957. Bill’s dream was to become a jet fighter pilot and in 1958 he received his commission as an officer in the United States Air Force and later in 1959 earning his wings becoming a “fighter pilot”.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Elander served his country for 20 years as a hero and one of our country’s greatest Fighter Pilots flying F-100’s, F105’s, and F-4 Phantom II’s in the United States Air Force. He was deployed to Thailand and Okinawa where he heroically flew over 200 missions in North Vietnam. From 1969 to 1972 he was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada to fly for the United States Air Force Thunderbirds…an honor reserved only for the best of the best.
After completing his amazing tour with the Thunderbirds, duty called him back to the war in North Vietnam. On July 5, 1972, his aircraft was struck by an air-to-air missile forcing him to eject and was later captured by the North Vietnamese and taken to the notorious prison camp known as the “Hanoi Hilton”. Bill was an uncooperative POW with a bad attitude but survived the torture, starvation, and mistreatment of the North Vietnamese. He was released on March 29, 1973, and soon rejoined his family with a tearful reunion.
After 20 years of honorable military service, Bill retired from the Air Force in 1978 and moved on to the next chapter in his life.
He accepted an offer with the brand-new MGM Grand Reno. He learned the hotel and convention business from the ground up and it only took a few short years to reach the top executive level in the conventions department at the massive resort hotel. He was a natural. One day his mentor and former Thunderbird Team leader called him about a classified ad he had read and convinced Bill to apply for the position of President and CEO of the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau in Alaska.
Out of hundreds of applicants Bill was chosen as the President and CEO of the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau in Alaska. For over 13 years he led his team making Anchorage and all of Alaska one of the top convention and visitors destinations in the country.
Source:https://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/rgj/william-james-elander-condolences/196780301
William “Bill” Elander (LtCol USAF, Ret) “Headed West” on August 28, 2020.
William James Elander (Bill), 86, passed peacefully on August 28, 2020, in the presence of his loving wife Lynn and his entire immediate family there to honor him. He was born to William and Almira Elander on July 02, 1934. Bill spent much of his youth being a kid running with his buddies on the beaches at Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, and in the woods of Charlotte, North Carolina. Bill’s amazing life story was just beginning.
William Elander graduated from High School in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1952, and later received a bachelor’s degree from “The Citadel” in 1957. Bill’s dream was to become a jet fighter pilot and in 1958 he received his commission as an officer in the United States Air Force and later in 1959 earning his wings becoming a “fighter pilot”.
Bill married the love of his life on April 1, 1962, only ten days from the day they met. A beautiful Delta Stewardess named Lynn Greer. They started their life together as an Air Force family moving frequently as duty required. Together they raised 3 children Scott, Tanya, and Benjamin. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Lynn and Bill remained married and in love for 58 years.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Elander served his country for 20 years as a hero and one of our country’s greatest Fighter Pilots flying F-100’s, F105’s, and F-4 Phantom II’s in the United States Air Force. He was deployed to Thailand and Okinawa where he heroically flew over 200 missions in North Vietnam. From 1969 to 1972 he was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada to fly for the United States Air Force Thunderbirds…an honor reserved only for the best of the best.
After completing his amazing tour with the Thunderbirds, duty called him back to the war in North Vietnam. On July 5, 1972, his aircraft was struck by an air-to-air missile forcing him to eject and was later captured by the North Vietnamese and taken to the notorious prison camp known as the “Hanoi Hilton”. Bill was an uncooperative POW with a bad attitude but survived the torture, starvation, and mistreatment of the North Vietnamese. He was released on March 29, 1973, and soon rejoined his family with a tearful reunion. After 20 years of honorable military service, Bill retired from the Air Force in 1978 and moved on to the next chapter in his life.
Bill and Lynn decided to move their family to Reno, Nevada, he accepted an offer with the brand-new MGM Grand Reno. He learned the hotel and convention business from the ground up and it only took a few short years to reach the top executive level in the conventions department at the massive resort hotel. He was a natural. One day his mentor and former Thunderbird Team leader called him about a classified add he had read, and convinced Bill to apply for the position of President and CEO of the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau in Alaska. Out of hundreds of applicants Bill was chosen. For over 13 years he led his team making Anchorage and all of Alaska one of the top convention and visitors destinations in the country. In 2000 Bill decided to retire but not before having the best party in all of Alaska in his honor thrown by his adoring staff and community. They presented him with the key to the city of Anchorage.
Bill and Lynn traveled everywhere imaginable in their RV visiting family and friends eventually deciding to leave Anchorage and move back to the Reno-Sparks area in 2002 where they were closer to their kids, grandkids, and eventually great-grandkids, as well as many friends…and golf courses! Bill and his amazing wife Lynn resided together happily in Sparks, Nevada. Bill had a wonderful life. He passed away while his whole family was touching him…and he had touched all of us in amazing ways. We are all better people for having Bill Elander (aka; Dad, Gampa) in our lives. We all love and miss you so much! You will always live in our hearts and will never be forgotten.
There was a memorial celebration of Bill’s life at Walton’s Chapel by invitation on September 19th. In lieu of sending flowers, Bill would appreciate donations to Veterans Guest House in his name. Donations can be mailed to Veterans Guest House, 880 Locust St., Reno, NV 89502 or online at www.veteransguesthouse.org. Bill’s final resting place will be Arlington National Cemetery.
Source: https://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/rgj/william-james-elander-condolences/196780301
WILLIAM ELANDER JR.
Major – United States Air Force
Shot Down: July 5, 1972
Released: March 29, 1973
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is William James Elander Jr. known to my friends and relatives as Bill Billy, Mekong Bill, Yukon Bill, Tazz and Elly.
I was born in Berwyn, Illinois in 1934 graduated, from high school in Charlotte North Carolina, received an Air Force commission after graduating from The Citadel in 1957. During my college years, my family moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area where they reside to this day.
After graduation, I worked and lived in Charleston, West Virginia until called to active duty in 1958. I entered pilot training receiving my “wings” from Webb AFB, Texas. After completing jet fighter training at Luke AFB Arizona and Nellis AFB, Nevada in 1959 I was assigned as an F-100 Supersabre pilot at George AFB, California.
In 1962, only ten days after being introduced, I married the former Lynn Greer, a Delta Airline Stewardess from West Palm Beach, Florida. However, five days after the wedding I was sent to Korea for a one-year tour without family. In 1963 Lynn joined me for my next assignment at Kadena, AB Okinawa. During our Okinawa tour, we were blessed with two children, Scott in 1964 and Tanya in 1965.
While at Kadena I was flying the F-105 Thunderchief and in 1965 I spent six months flying combat missions over North Vietnam. In 1966 we were transferred to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina where I served as an F-105 instructor in a training unit of the 4th TAC Fighter Wing.
In 1967 the training unit at Seymour folded and the Wing’s new mission was to maintain an operational F-4 Phantom Wing of three squadrons. I remained at Seymour, flying the F-4 until I was selected to join the USAF Thunderbirds in 1969.
I moved the family to Las Vegas, and spent the next two and a half years as the Thunderbird Maintenance or Materiel Officer, flying the number six airplane. While living in Vegas our third child, Benjamin James, was born in 1970.
In March 1972 I was again in Southeast Asia at Korat AB flying combat in the F-4E Phantom aircraft. On July 5th, 1972, my aircraft was struck by an air-to-air missile and I was forced to eject over an area 35 miles northeast of Hanoi. I was captured and remained a prisoner until released on the 29th of March, this year (1973).
After capture, I was soon registered at the “Hanoi Hilton.” The interrogation attempts and rough treatment lasted only for six and a half days in my case. During those few days and for the first time in too many years, I prayed and gained strength from my prayers. I resigned myself that I would not cooperate with the enemy in any way with their interrogation and propaganda attempts.
My fears of torture were unfounded, however, since those six and a half days were filled with threats, shouts, and discomfort, but nothing more. I was then removed from isolation and placed in a cell with 19 other American POW’s. I remained with most of this group until our release.
During captivity, I experienced some joys and many frustrations. My greatest joy was during October 1972 when our group was permitted to mix with many of the real heroes of this war. These were the “Old Guys,” men who had suffered as many as eight years of foul food, no medicine, no news; men who suffered the torture, solitary confinement, and barrages of propaganda. These were the men who defeated the Vietnamese in all their efforts to turn them against their own country and beliefs. I was proud just to associate with these great Americans.
My biggest frustration was the fact that I was never permitted to write letters or receive mail or packages. Since I was not used for any propaganda and was labeled by the North Viets as a “Bad Attitude,” the mail privilege was never extended. Knowing the anxiety my family would be enduring and being unable to reassure them was difficult for me.
Since [my] release, my dreams and prayers have all come true. Operation Homecoming surpassed even my wildest imagination. The warmth and gratitude of every American I have met brought tears of pride to my eyes. My family, all in good health, filled with love and faith, made our reunion the greatest event of my life.
My future remains with the Air Force. I plan to enter service school this Fall and work on my Master’s degree. I am in excellent health and hope to continue to fly in the service of our country.”
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
UPDATE – 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO
