POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C. -- When working in the military, sometimes it turns out the world is more connected than you think. Col. Allen C. Morris, 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group (AMOG) commander, works together with Jeffrey Williamson, Fort Bragg Director of Public Works, to maintain the functions on Pope Army Airfield, like HVAC, plumbing, lighting, and other systems that keep Pope running. One day during a conversation with Williamson, Morris noticed a connection that was deeper than just keeping Pope’s lights on.
It was during an Airfield Operations meeting last year that Morris noticed a 15th Air Force wallpaper graphic on Williamson’s phone. Intrigued, Morris asked Williamson about it and learned that his father served in the 15th Air Force in Italy during World War II. Morris’ cousin, Staff Sgt. Oliver Frank Olivero, was also stationed in Italy with the 772nd Bomb Squadron in the 463rd Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force starting in November of 1944. He had served as a tail gunner on a Boeing B-17G named ‘Dixie Queen.’ His aircraft and the crew were declared missing in action Feb. 16, 1945. The day the crew took off, there was low visibility and the aircraft was last seen flying into the clouds out over the Adriatic Sea.
During their conversation, they realized Morris’ cousin and Williamson’s dad were stationed in Italy at the same time, and in sister squadrons of the same Bomb Group. There is nothing official that shows they ever met during their time in Italy, but being in sister squadrons, they almost certainly crossed paths.
“It was surprising for a couple of different reasons,” said Morris. “I was surprised that we used our family history to narrow it down, realizing they were in the same place at the same time. It was really the chain of questioning, like seeing the 15th Air Force graphic on his phone and asking him about it. He said ‘Yeah, my dad was in the 15th.’ ‘Really, what did he do?’ ‘Oh, he was on a B-17.’ ‘Really, where?’ And you just start narrowing it down.”
Learning about each other’s families began a friendship between the two leaders on Fort Bragg. Morris has copies of War Department correspondence sent to his aunt regarding his cousin’s service. The documents include letters from the Group Chaplain, a letter declaring him missing in action, and one declaring the date he was presumed dead.
Williamson’s father returned safely from war. The DPW Director learned about his father’s time there through a diary he kept and through unit support groups.
“My brother and I would try to go to all of his bomber group reunions,” said Williamson. “They [463rd Bomb Group] had one every year. Some of the gentlemen would talk about things that never happened, and yeah, we knew they were lying. I loved going and visiting with his friends and I went to several funerals for the gentlemen that passed. I enjoyed living back [vicariously] through my dad's past and his friends’ lives.”
Williamson’s dad, Technical Sergeant Garrett Jepatha Williamson, was stationed with the 774th Bombardment Squadron. Before the war, he was an aircraft mechanic and when he returned home, he returned to his career. The Army initially wanted him to enlist as an aircraft mechanic, but he wanted to have a different role in the war. He served as a flight engineer and top turret gunner in Italy.
“He wrote a diary,” said Williamson. “He said he would probably go to jail for doing that now, but the missions, and the flak [German aircraft defense cannons] was heavy. We bombed the ball bearing factory or we went over Regensburg and we bombed the oil refineries. It was a well-kept record of everything, of all his missions and it's fun to read.”
While sharing their personal connection, both men learned more about their own family’s time in Italy.
“So, just because he [Olivero] was in one of the squadrons that had a later start in the war, it doesn’t mean that it was any easier,” said Morris. “The Eighth Air Force got to Europe in early 1942 and my cousin didn't get there until the end of 1944. I didn't have an appreciation for it until I started to read the [mission] rolls; there's five and six airplanes, from a 24-plane group, getting shot down by flak in one raid. That's a lot. It's pretty incredible, just the sheer number of folks that continued to do the job knowing the odds were not in their favor.”
The connection Morris and Williamson have with family members serving so closely in World War II has enhanced the professional relationship they maintain on this installation. “The connection between us and DPW [Directorate of Public Works] is very important,” said Morris. “The Army owns the land, buildings, runways, dorms and hangers. We work here and we need them.”
Morris said DPW fills an important Base Operating Support-Integration role that most Air Base Wings (ABW) have. “We are kind of like the local U.S. Air Force ABW that does most of the support functions for our people,” said Morris. “DPW does what we can’t do at Pope. They are integral in maintaining our spaces and ensuring we have a place to work. We’ve been able to build a great relationship with many of the DPW staff, all the way to the top, and it helps that he [Williamson] and I have some common ground and a common bond to build upon in that our relatives worked together to defeat Germany some 80 plus years ago, in the same Bomb Group, in Sister Squadrons. Small world!”
DPW is the entity that handles all discrepancies that need to be addressed for readiness and maintenance issues related to buildings. Although they are the only option on Fort Bragg, Williamson’s strive for excellence hasn’t dwindled. During his Army career, part of his service was in DPW in Germany. He continued to work in DPW at Fort Riley as a civilian before moving to Fort Bragg for his current position.
“I want to be the installation’s first choice to come to versus being the only choice,” said Williamson. “When you have a problem, we need to try to fix it.”
The Air Force supporting the Army on Fort Bragg is not a one-way street. DPW is an example of how Fort Bragg helps Airmen at Pope so the 43rd AMOG is able to accomplish its mission. Both Morris and Williamson continue to honor their family’s legacy through sharing memories, but their partnership on the installation continues a legacy of the Air Force and Army working together to ensure mission success on Fort Bragg.