William F. Bippus enlisted in September 1942 at Nashville, Tenn. in the ferry command and because he had done considerable flying as a Private Pilot, cadet training was unnecessary. He received special training both in Nashville and Memphis. He served in the 1330th AAF Base Unit as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of an aircraft. He was killed in the explosion of a B-24 bomber while flying over the Himalayas from India to China with 5 other men. He died on September 6, 1944 at the age of 31 and is now buried in the Fort Scott National Cemetery, Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Kansas, USA. William was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.