Skip to main content

William Barton Skelton Jr.

1LT in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co A

ASN#430382

Born 1920 in PA, Died 2011

Other residence(s): Meadville, PA; Salisbury, MD; Wilmington, NC
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
College education after the war: Carnegie Mellon
Notes: CPT; Bronze Star; GO #40 Sec V, Hq 12th A Gp, 15 Jul 45. Meritorious service in connection with military operations, 24 Jun 44-24 Mar 45; five battle stars
Source: 603rd Camouflage Engineer Roster provided by W. Anderson; Awards and Decorations; photo from 1947 college yearbook

NOTE: I could find neither a draft nor an enlistment record for him, but the PA Veterans Compensation record confirms his serial number and an overseas departure date consistent with Ghost Army transport.

William Skelton was born on October 7, 1920 in Meadville, PA. His father was a physician, and he was one of two children. William Sr. had served overseas in World War I, and achieved the rank of captain. Sadly, he died young of a heart ailment when William was only 15.

William graduated from Meadville Area High School in 1937, where he was a member of the National Honor Society. He then attended college for several years. He joined the Reserves, and was promoted to 2LT (engineers) in November of 1941. He enlisted on December 7, 1941. He served overseas from May 3, 1944 to July 2, 1945, and was released from the Army with the rank of CPT (like his father) on July 2, 1945. His obituary says that he was with the 603rd, "serving under General George Patton and his Secret Army." He was awarded the Bronze Star.

He went back to school after the war, graduating from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon) in 1947 with a degree in chemical engineering. He was active in a number of campus organizations including fraternities and intramural sports.

William married Jessica Matthews in 1949, and they lived with his mother in Meadville for the first few years of their marriage. William may have pursued further education at this time, since the 1949 and 1951 city directories in Meadville list him as a student. The Skeltons would go on to have three daughters.

William worked first for Goodyear Tire, and then for 33 years as a chemical engineer with DuPont. The family was living in Salisbury, MD in 1953, and were in Wilmington, NC by 1993. In Wilmington, he served for a time as president of the Cape Fear Power Squadron, a boating club.

He died on October 10, 2011 in Wilmington.

According to his obituary, William was an accomplished magician, and enjoyed sharing his magic tricks with everyone. He was an avid ballroom dancer and an aficionado of big band music. He enjoyed his time spent visiting Nova Scotia, Maine, and the upper peninsula of Michigan. He was also a volunteer at Kids Making It, where he shared his woodworking skills with at-risk youth.

Photo:

1937 high school yearbook

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1265&h=313019032&tid=&pid=&queryId=9622dab2bab024fb558fb2909763881c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qxF89&_phstart=successSource

1947 college yearbook

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1265&h=291762458&ssrc=pt&tid=34173355&pid=19766802344&usePUB=true

Sources:

1940 Census

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2442&h=22638982&tid=&pid=&queryId=9622dab2bab024fb558fb2909763881c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qxF81&_phstart=successSource

1941 article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette re his promotion to 2nd LT

https://www.newspapers.com/image/91083642/?terms=william%2Bb%2Bskelton

1949 Meadville city directory

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2469&h=153397685&tid=&pid=&queryId=4de5a044d3565eb2c5fdd75b606b6eb1&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qxF120&_phstart=successSource

1950 Pennsylvania Veterans Compensation Application File

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3147&h=1658777&ssrc=pt&tid=34173355&pid=19766802344&usePUB=true

1953 Salisbury city directory

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2469&h=956637573&tid=&pid=&queryId=9b896307d04bf096f8d6849f437ac7fb&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qxF111&_phstart=successSource

2011 Social Security Death Index

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3693&h=91137221&tid=&pid=&queryId=9622dab2bab024fb558fb2909763881c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qxF85&_phstart=successSource

2011 obituary in Wilmington NC Star News

https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/obituaries/obit/15F8C3229CC7EB80-15F8C3229CC7EB80?h=6&fname=william&lname=skelton&fullname=&kwinc=&kwexc=&rgfromDate=2011&rgtoDate=2011&formDate=&formDateFlex=exact&dateType=range&processingtime=&addedFrom=&addedTo=&sid=wpyjqwknieyisoynzpzumdcihgijmuzv_wma-gateway006_1599857295617#

Please Support Our Ongoing Efforts

The soldiers of The Ghost Army used inflatable tanks, sound effects, and imagination to fool the Germans on the battlefields of Europe. The Ghost Army Legacy Project is ensuring that these men and their accomplishments are never forgotten.

Give via credit card by clicking the yellow “Donate” button.

Or, send a check to:

Ghost Army Legacy Project
1305 S. Michigan Ave. #1104
Chicago, IL 60605

All donations are tax-deductible!