1. By: Cody Means, Danielle Fillmore, Warren Cromie, and Chelsea Salazar
King High Remembers
William J. Dykes
By: Cody Means, Danielle Fillmore, Warren Cromie, and Chelsea Salazar

2. William J. Dykes Born November 29th 1924 84 years of age
Served in the Korean War and World War 2

3. Mr. Dykes attended Riverside Poly High School
Graduated in 1943
It was the only good high school around at the time

4. After High School…
A few days before Graduation, he was drafted into the army
He trained to become a tail gunner in Texas and in the Gulf of Mexico
Also attended Gunners School in the United States

5. The Beginning… During Gunners School, William blew his ear drums out
They fired 50 calibers in the machine guns
When the guns jammed, as an instructor he would walk between the guns (while firing) and that’s when concussion would hit
The Men would used cotton for ear plugs

6. Training There was a required Physical every three months
Since Mr. Dykes damaged his hearing, he bluffed his way through most of the physical, saying,“he had a cold.”

7. He Flew in a B-24 Bomber as the Tail Gunner

8. His Plane
On the tail of his bomber, there was a capital “D” (it was the 4th group in England)
One one mission every five seconds, 20 flak explosions would over an area of 36 bombers.

9. Their plane was named Hubert by the pilot
To every plane, there was ten members to a crew
Mr. Dykes was 22 when he first flew in “Hubert”
He was the only tail gunner to his plane

10. Clothing
Wore four pairs of gloves with a leather glove over them so his fingers would not get frostbite
Next was long johns, uniform, his flying suit, hoodie, scarf and his flight suit and over this he wore a flak suit (30 lbs)

11. weather
Sometimes while flying weather could get to as low as degrees below 0.

13. There were two different types of wings
Aircrew Wings
Gunner Wings

14. People on the Plane There are five gunners on the plane
Two in the front, two on the sides and one in the rear
There is the pilot, co-pilot, navigator
Normally there were 6 gunners- one below in a ball turret (but in England they took the ball turret out)

15. Worst case scenario
Mr. Dykes carried a bullet tied to a piece of string just in case their plane was shot down
He said “it was better to kill yourself than to surrender to those s.s troops’’

16. Places he flew He flew most missions over Germany Belgium London
Flying it was much colder over Germany

17. Entertaining activities
For fun him and his buddies saw early shows, watch movies, drank
They also threw coal at the MP’s Guard shacks
Mr. Dykes had a bike that he would ride thru the small towns
One day someone stole his bike before going home.

18. After the war… Met Mrs. Dykes in high school while he was at RCC
He would sneak out to see her during the day
They are happily married for 62 years

19. Teaching Got his teaching credentials at UCLA
Taught at RCC and a college in the Dessert.

20. He worked at the Coroner for over 31 years
The office had dealt with over 50,000 cases
Before joining the Coroners office ( ) he was a state police officer for 3yrs.
He joined the Coroners office as an investigator
17yrs. As chief coroner
7 1/2 yrs. As coroner of
riverside county