Wilfred Christie Wells was born on June 2, 1925 and reared in the Shandon section of Columbia. He was a member of St Francis de Sales Catholic church, attended the public shools of Columbia, graduating at Dreher High School in June, 1941. He attended Clemson college from September 1941 to June, 1943. During his high school years he was newspaper carrier for The State in the Shandon area and during vacations he worked for Seastrunk Electric company.

He entered the US Army Air Corps in August 1943, receiving training at Miami, Florida, Amherst, Mass., Maxwell Field, Alabama, and San Marcos, Texas, graduating as a navigator in September 1944. He received his crew training at Charleston Army Air Base in November and December of 1944 and was sent overseas in January 1945, to the China-Burma-India area, where he served unto July 27 when his plane became missing.

Flight Officer Wells is now buried in the Saint Peter's Cemetery, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, USA. He 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.

Distinguished Flying Cross Citation:
The Distinguished Flying Cross is hereby awarded to the following named officers and enlisted men of the 308th Bombardment group (H) for extraordinary achievement in aerial flight. During the period indicated they took part in 200 or more hours of combat flight in heavy bombardment type aircraft based in China and India. Engaged for a short time in bombing enemy installations in occupied China and in attacking enemy shipping in the China seas, they later transported critically needed gasoline over the Himalayas from India. Their missions were carried out in spite of the dangers of treacherous weather over notoriously rugged terrain. Their achievements both in combat and in safely transporting gasoline reflects credit upon themselves and upon the Army Air Forces.
Wilfred C Wells, T 134799, Flight Officer, Air Corps, Navigator, 26 February 1945 to 29 June 1945

Source of information: www.findagrave.com