Whilst ferrying a plane across the Atlantic on 5 Feb 1944, B-24H #41-29277 'Dear Mom' landed at Villacisneros, Spanish Morocco after flying through a dust storm and running out of gas. The the crew were taken by boat to the Canaries and Spain, then back to Horsham St Faith from Gibralter. On his 19th mission in August 1944 they lost two engines, landed in Switzerland and were interned. Willard and his pilot escaped, took a train as far as their money took them and then walked for three nights, crossing into France at Grenoble. They were picked up by the Underground and made it back to base. After the war he returned to farming and then worked at Hill AFB Utah.



Air Medal with 2 clusters