Ernest Sikes

Ernest Allen "Bill" Sikes passed away on March 25, 2008 at Central Wyoming Hospice. Just the month before, in February, Bill had celebrated his 90th birthday with a gathering of friends and family at Primrose Retirement Community.
Until the very end, Bill enjoyed greeting his friends with a firm, hardy handshake. His grip was emphasized by a large, lean, and muscular hand, perfectly designed for controlling the biggest and best heavy bombers that Boeing could build. Like millions of other World War Two veterans, Bill voluntarily sacrificed the best years of his life to fight the black cloud of tyranny threatening the free world during the 1940s.
Bill Sikes was born February 5, 1918 to Ernest and Ruby Sikes in Sausalito, CA. While a second-year engineering student at Michigan State College in 1941, Bill decided to complete his military commitment to the country and finish college later. He enlisted in the Army as a private in artillery. Pearl Harbor quickly put an end to his future college plans. Having had two years of engineering school, the Army offered Bill a chance to be an aviation cadet. Bill had seen B-17s flying overhead, and decided that would be his plane.
Being a natural-born leader and having a strong mechanical aptitude, Bill quickly completed his officer commissioning and qualified on four-engine aircraft. He came to Casper in spring 1943 for final B-17 combat crew training. He recalled looking at Casper Mountain from the railroad car window while parked over Center St, wondering what the future held. His future would indeed be very rich. He met a pretty young girl at Casper Army Air Base named Hazel Wheaton. They were married at the Presbyterian Church in Casper a few days before Bill flew his B-17 and crew to England. From Chelveston, England, Bill flew 25 combat missions over Europe with the 305th Bombardment Group in his beloved B-17 named "Sizzle" after the sound of his mother's steaks on the grill at Hotel Olds in Lansing, MI.
Lady Luck was with Bill and his crew. On one mission all four engines ran out fuel just as Sizzle was landing at Chelveston. On a mission over Hanover, Germany, a German antiaircraft shell lodged in Sizzle's fuel tank. It was a dud and failed to explode. Over Norway, he evaded a swarm of German fighters by putting the B-17 on its edge, literally falling out of the sky with two engines shot out. He was so late in returning to England that the plane and crew were assumed to be lost. As Bill would say, "when in trouble, do something, anything."
Bill returned to the U.S. in early 1944 to reunite with his wife Hazel and new son William. He then volunteered to serve in Asia as a B-29 pilot. In October 1944, Bill picked up a brand new B-29 from Boeing's Wichita Plant, and named it "The Big Stick." From Saipan, he flew 30 combat missions with the 499th Bombardment Group, mostly over the Japanese mainland. On one mission, a Japanese shell exploded in the B-29 cockpit, causing very painful wounds to Bill. He took control of the situation and flew back to the base despite great agony, thereby saving the plane and crew. Bill was awarded the Purple Heart for this action. He received many other awards and medals for his valor during the war.
Bill's strong "take charge" leadership style combined with Lady Luck resulted in his combat crews being able to survive the war, despite overwhelming odds. On his last mission, he was ordered to conduct a mapping reconnaissance of Korea after the bombing run over Japan. Enroute back to Saipan, the B-29 lost two engines and he was forced to land at Iwo Jima. In a way, Bill and his crew were some of the first to fight the Korean War.
Bill flew a war-weary B-29 back to the U.S. in June 1945, only to be told to await orders for the invasion of Japan. During the period 1941 to 1945, Bill advanced in rank from buck private to Major. Bill participated in the post-war occupation of Japan. While returning to the U.S. in November 1948, Lady Luck again helped when he was forced to ditch a transport plane in shark infested waters of the South Pacific. Bill and 32 other men floated for three days in life rafts before rescue.
Bill and Hazel had two more children, daughters Mary and Julie. He retired from active duty Air Force in 1950 as a Lieutenant Colonel, and continued service in the Wyoming Air National Guard. Over the next few decades, Bill committed his life to raising his family in Casper and caring for Hazel, who had become seriously ill. Bill designed, fabricated, and patented a blood dialysis pump that helped extend Hazel's life by 12 years. Tragically, his son William died in a 1980 car accident. Hazel passed away in 1984.
In 1985, Bill married Grethe, who has remained by his side for the past 23 years. Their business required extensive travel throughout the U.S. Bill and Grethe were invited to attend Boeing's 50th anniversary celebration of the B-17 in Seattle. Bill enriched the lives of his and Grethe's grandchildren with frequent fishing trips to Lake Alcova. Bill's inflatable fishing boat was a common sight on the lake, filled to the brim with grandchildren and fishing gear.
Bill and Grethe have volunteered much time and resources to the Wyoming Veterans' Museum in Casper. Being a surviving building from the WWII Casper Army Air Base, the museum includes a display honoring Bill's wartime service. Having trained at the base in 1943, the museum and display were very special to him. Bill was a living history book, and he gave freely of his time to share his wartime experiences with schools, civic groups, and scout troops. Bill assisted a young man with his Eagle Scout project at the museum. The scout and his troop were greatly honored when Bill spoke at the Eagle Court of Honor.
Bill is survived by his wife Grethe, and daughters Mary Allen Switzer of Arizona and Julie Ann Cole of Missouri. His grandchildren include Michael Switzer, Wendy Monteith, William Sikes, Amy Klingschmidt, and Patrick Cole. Bill had several great-grandchildren. Grethe, her children, grandchildren, and extended family felt very lucky and privileged to have had Bill as a vital and loved member of the family for 23 years. He will always hold a very special place in our hearts.
The family requests that memorials be made to Central Wyoming Hospice, 319 S. Wilson, Casper,WY 82601 in lieu of flowers.