[William Farrell oral history interview (Part 1 of 5)]

In this five-part oral history, fighter ace William Farrell discusses his 30+ years of service with the United States Marine Corps. In part one, he describes his experiences as a fighter pilot and shares memorable moments from his combat tours during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Topics discussed include his time stationed in Okinawa with Marine Fighting Squadron 312 (VMF-312); his interdiction missions and air strikes in Korea; and his participation in the Battle of Khe Sanh in 1968.

William Farrell was born on November 29, 1921 in Paterson, New Jersey. He entered the Naval Aviation Cadet program in 1942 and received his commission with the United States Marine Corps the following year. During World War II, Farrell served in the Pacific Theater with Marine Fighting Squadron 312 (VMF-312), flying missions in Okinawa and the South Pacific. He remained in the military after the war and went on to serve with Marine Fighter Squadron 513 (VMF-513) and Marine Fighter Squadron 311 (VMF-311) during the Korean War. During the Vietnam War, he once again flew with VMF-311 and also served as commander of Chu Lai Air Base. Farrell retired as a colonel in 1974 and afterwards had a 20-year teaching career in the Southern California area. He passed away in 2002.

Biographical information courtesy of: Boyce, Ward J., ed., American fighter aces album. Mesa, Ariz: American Fighter Aces Association, 1996.