William G. Draper

Who was William G. Draper?

William G. Draper was a career military officer and Air Force Aide to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and graduated from Central High School in Washington, D.C. in 1939. He obtained his CAA private and commercial licenses in 1940, and in 1941 received his instructor’s rating at the Wilmington, Delaware airport. In November 1942 he joined the U.S. Army and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, USAF, and assigned to Air Transport Command ferrying B-17 bombers to England and North Africa. He also piloted with the AAF Transport Group, “Fireball Line,” which flew supplies for the China-Burma-India Theater from Miami to Assam, India. From 1950-1952 he was the personal pilot for General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, and later served as President Eisenhower’s personal pilot and Air Force Aide.