Lieutenant William James Spence

  2. Aggies to Recall
  3. World War II
  4. Lieutenant William James Spence

William James Spence was born in El Paso Texas on April 2, 1907 to Joseph and Mary Spence. Raised in El Paso, he graduated from El Paso HS and attended the School of Mines for some time. In the mid thirties he was living in Pennsylvania and sometime prior to entering NMAMC in the fall of 1939 he married Elizabeth King of Elmira NY. In July 1940 he was awarded his degree in Education from the College of Agriculture. He worked for La Tuna Federal Prison up until July 1942 when he entered the USAAF. He was eventually commissioned and assigned to an army air field in Washington State. His son, Joseph Martin Spence, was born in 1942 and in 1943; his parents brought him home to El Paso where he was christened. Lt Spence was sent overseas in January 1944. In May of that year he was part of the 303rd Airdrome Squadron. Airdrome Squadrons were the first troops sent in to establish an operational air field. On May 15, 1944 the unit was part of the force that invaded Wadke Island off the northern coast of New Guinea. The mission was to occupy and restore a Japanese airfield to make it ready for flights against the Philippines. The fighting was intense and raged on for several days along with daily air raids against the US troops. 

Lieutenant William James Spence
A firsthand account recalls how on May 19th a cave was sealed with satchel charges in an attempt to trap Japanese defenders inside. Somehow that night, 51 Japanese troops dug themselves free and attacked the field. They first attacked the mess hall and then made their way down the road towards the 303rd Airdrome Squadron. The men of the 303rd put up a stiff resistance, killing all of the Japanese, losing six men in the process. It is our belief that Lt William James Spence died in that ground combat action. He was buried in Finchafen #2, Papua New Guinea, until 1949 when his body was reinterred at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. In 1945, his wife and son moved to Washington DC where she began working with the American Red Cross in support of service members assigned overseas. Lt William James Spence was 37 years of age at the time of his death.