The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1943-08-14
County Agent
Interviews Capt.
William Beasley

(An interview with Capt. Will
liam Beasley, veteran of Is sue
cessful missions over Germany. or
occupied territory by Charles
Dobbs, Negro County Agent, Haz-
lehurst Mississippi)
Just few days ago it was nv
distinct pleasure to have a one
hour talk with a man who had
bombed Germany and occupied
territories for 25 successful times.
Capt. William Beasley or Bill
Beasley as he is known here at
nome is very quiet, unassuming
young man, who talks of himself
SO little that if one did not al
ready know that he was a hero.
with almost all of the medals,
except the Congressional Medal.
the U. S. can offer, they would
never find out by waiting on him
to tell it.
Before THE war, Capt. Beasley
was an ordinary young college
man, who loved sports, good mu-
sic, in addition to being an out
standing member of his class at
Copiah-Lincoln Jr. College. He
cared little for social life but was
always interested in flying, which
he OF course attempted to follow
as soon as he got the chance.
He failed in his first attempt to
pass the test but was finally ac-
cepted to the u S. A. A. F. after
which he served on active duty
here in the U. S. on the gulf, and
was later transferred to England
where he was promoted to Cap
tain and made Is successful raids
over occupied Germany. Only two
pilots in the U. S. A. A. F. have
the credit so far, of rs missions,
without a turnback or obortive
apt. month or two ago.
The layman hardly realizes the
dangers and risks that a pilot must
take in order to make possible the
bombing of Germany. The breath
ing of oxygen constantly which in
due time will shatter ones nerves
at $4,000 feet the roar of four
| heavy engines, the clatter of ma
chine guns, the burst of anti
aircraft fire, and attacks of enemy
fighter planes. These dangers he
has gone through daily, in addition
to bringing his bullet riddled ship
back each time some times with
two engines gone, and he still
| contends that he is not a hero
in the sense of the word Just
plain lucky. Capt Beasley be-
lieves that every man who gives
his life and leaves his home to
fight in order that Democracy
might live is a Hero. He knows
that many of his Buddies have
died in order that he might live
He is the good listener type who
preferred to hear about DIR. Car
yer, and the exploits of Tuske-
gee Institute, rather than to talk
of his deeds and acts of heroism
that he and thousand of other
! American boys are doing to pre-
serve such things. He prefers to
hear about the things that he is
fighting for, rather than talk about
what he is doing to preserve them.
He has no doubt that we will win.
He knows that we will win. His
! only hope is that he and millions
of others will chance to enjoy
the post war world
We are proud to know that we
have such a hero here in the
county. We are. proud to know
that these are the types of pilots
that our colored boys will soon be
| flying behind as bombardiers and
| navigators. We are proud to know
that these are the types of fight
ers that we the Farmers of Co
piah county are working night and
day to help feed regardless of
race, color or creed. This type
of heroism here on the home
front gives us more courage to
work harder each day to contri-
butte our little, but important share
to the winning of this war.
In autographing my annual he
says-"Lots of good luck Dobbs.