William Tamm Arnold

Commander Arnold accepted a Naval ROTC scholarship to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and received a B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1963.

Upon completion of flight training, he was assigned to VA-22 flying the A-4C "Skyhawk" aircraft, first onboard the USS Midway (CVA-41) and a second deployment aboard the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), which conducted combat operations off the coast of North Vietnam. Despite heavy weather, he successfuly completed a bombing mission on November 18, 1966 in the Cape Mui Ron area of North Vietnam, and then radioed he was going down. Search efforts were unsuccessful in finding him. He was listed as missing in action and regularly promoted until 16 May 1978 when a presumption of death was made, CDR Arnold's remains have not been recovered, and in recognition of his service, the President of the United States has posthumously awarded him the Air Medal (First through Eleventh Strike/Flight Awards) and the Purple Heart.