The Inspector wrote:
I just learned that my dear old Dad, William R. Downing passed away this evening @ 18:30 9/29/09.
Dad was closing in on 93 and had a good long run at it. He was a code specialist @ Pearl Harbor during WW2 in the Navy and never could really tell anyone what he did, but once he admitted to having something to do with parts of Purple Code breaking. He was no sort of war hero except to me and Mom. He imbued me with the traits of honor, humbleness, courtesy, curiosity, self pride (within limits), self respect, and the desire to always try to finish whatever I'd started good or bad. I just hope I've lived up to his standards-a good man who is missed by me, his grandkids and his great grandkids
Without a doubt he is a hero to me! He would tell me his war stories all the time. I would lay on the floor in front of him and be spell bound! He would start one then ask "did I tell you this one before?" I'd say yes but please tell me again. They never got old. He always understated his roll in the war, I'm not sure if thats because he was such a humble man or if it was because of orders? He told me of his units involvement in downing Yamamoto's plane, and how Yamamoto was like a Swiss watch. If he said I will be here at 0330 he was there at 0259.001 That is one of the reasons downing Yamamoto was made possible. He would get letters from the DOD (?) on occasion stating that there are new declassified things he could talk about. While stationed at Pearl city each one of the code specialist had a Marine guarding them. Their orders were to shoot the specialist if there was the possibility of one getting captured. He painted such vivid stories for me that it was as if I was watching a movie. He had so many stories about his service it would take a book to tell them all. So now I tell his stories to my kids and friends.
So to my Grandpa I say thank you for all of your sacrifices and love you gave us.
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