William Carl Wildermuth

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Gary Wildermuth on September 3, 2020:

I am Bill Wildermuth's youngest son, Gary. I just found out about this website today. What a blessing to see these pictures again. My father was a wonderful man, a great father to me, and a terrific provider for my family. He was taken at the age of 40 in a hit-and-run automobile accident. Bill's father, my Pappy, died of a heart attack/heartbreak when he found out my father had died. My heart still aches today at age 61 from that shocking jolt to my family's lives. Fortunately, my dad had already instilled so much into my life: trust in God, love and serve your Country, and love and protect your family. I have tried to honor him in all that I have done. My father worked for Martin Marietta as an electrical engineer in Orlando, Florida, at the time of his death. He had two master's degrees, besides his West Point diploma. He was a little league baseball coach, helped out with scouting programs and taught Sunday School. His love and guidance, even though I was 12 when he died, helped me to succeed in the USAF, starting out as an enlisted man, and then as a commissioned officer and pilot in the USAF. After about 11 years in the Air Force, I became a pilot at Delta Air Lines. I am a Captain on the B737, now in my 30th year. I have twin boys who are 26 and both CPA's. They were both very good athletes and excelled in baseball, which my father would have loved. My father taught me well and loved me unconditionally. I miss him and am still so proud of him for graduating from West Point in the class of 1955!! I look forward to seeing him again on the other side. My father was married to my mother until his death. Her maiden name was Jane Richie. I have one sibling, my older brother, David, who like my father, is an engineer and worked for Hughes Aircraft and is now at Northrop Grumman. On a side note, I served as a Sergeant in the USAF under one of my father's 1955 classmates at West Point, Col(ret.) Bill McWilliams. I was at Cannon AFB serving as a weapons mechanic on the F111D from 1978-1980 when Col. McWilliams was the wing commander.

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