During WWII home was at 215 Mill St. Renton, WA.
World War II Veteran
Marine Pilot Philippines

William I. JONES Of Lummi Island, WA, passed away peacefully March 19, 2005. He lived a full life filled with love of family and friends. His integrity and work ethic, an example for all who met him. He married Mary Anita in 1943, his wife for 61 years. During WWII as a Marine, he flew fighters for the Navy in the south Pacific and then trained pilots. He and four partners built a successful restaurant supply business, NW Hotel Supply, in WA, AK and BC. He sold the business after 35 years then went on to get his commercial real estate license. Several years later he returned to the restaurant business with his son, Randall. At age 75, Bill finally retired and enjoyed, with Anita, visiting family and friends, boating in the San Juan Islands and flying with son, Randall. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Dick and Tom and sister, LaDora. Bill is survived by his wife, Anita; children, Sandra, Randall and Bruce; grandchildren, John (Tracey), Raphael, Heidi, Monika and Vanessa and sisters, Rita and Elizabeth. At his request, there will be no service. Memorials in Bill's name may be made to Lummi Island Fire Department #11 or the Lummi Island Congregational Church. Arrangements by Jerns Funeral Chapel and On-Site Crematorium, Bellingham, WA.


Ace of Spade Dive Bomber Squadron WWII - Served during their second deployment in 1944.

Reorganizing at MCAS Ewa, the squadron received Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers and was transferred to Marine Aircraft Group 23 (MAG-23). Slowly receiving new SBD-3 Dauntlesses and pilots, the squadron was notified in July 1942 that it would be deployed for duty overseas. Along with VMF-224, the squadron constituted the rear echelon of MAG-23 and was loaded aboard the aircraft transport USS Kitty Hawk (AKV-1) during the last week of August 1942 and shipped to the South Pacific. Arriving at Efate, the squadron spent the night there and the squadron's aircraft were craned over to the escort aircraft carrierUSS Long Island (AVG-1). The next day, the SBDs were catapulted from the 'Long Island and flown to Espiritu Santo. After another night's layover, the flight echelon flew to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal on August 30, 1942, arriving right before the daily Japanese air raid on the field and becoming the second Marine dive bomber squadron to operate ashore.[2] Major Leo Smith, and Captains Ruben Iden and Elmer Glidden led the squadron during the stay on Guadalcanal. Captain Iden died in combat on September 20, 1942, a day after he assumed command. While on Guadalcanal, eleven of the squadron's twelve original SBDs were lost or rendered inoperable between August 30 and October 3, 1942. During this time Lieutenant Glen Loeffel was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism for his lone attack on the Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka on October 4, 1942, causing substantial damage and leading to her eventual sinking on October 11, 1942. VMF-231 operated on Guadalcanal as part of the Cactus Air Force from August 30 until November 2, 1942. It then was shipped back to Naval Air Station San Diego, California, arriving there on November 19, 1942, and then moved further north to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, in January 1943.
The squadron again deployed to the Pacific Theater and began operations bombing by-passed Japanese garrisons in the Marshall Islands on February 4, 1944. In October 1944, it was redesignated VMBF-231 and converted to the F4U Corsair fighter. Two months later, on December 30, 1944, it reverted to the name VMSB-231 and remained in the Marshalls until the surrender of Japan in August 1945. During the course of World War II the squadron was credited with downing seven Japanese aircraft in air-to-air combat.[3]