Military Monday - A Fighter Pilot in the Family

"Will and Adcock"

is written on the back of the photo.  Will is on the left.

Last month would have been the 91st birthday of William Jordan Kinling, my mom's first cousin. 

Bill was born March 29, 1921, and died July 27, 1999, at the too-young age of 78.  Like all our family members, he was much more than dates on a tree.  In between, he was also a son, grandson, World War II fighter pilot, husband, father, grandfather, a great friend to many and much, much more.  Called "Will" as a child and young adult, he eventually became known as "Bill."  I think that happened after the service, not positive. 

Bill's middle name is his mother's maiden name, a common practice, and often seen on mom's side of the family.  There were family names like Jordan, Fulton, Sampson, Wright.  Those names make good "middle" names and carry on the tradition.

That custom doesn't work so well in a big Polish family, like my dad's side, with last names like Szymanski, Poznaniak, Gostomski and Landowski.  I remember it being hard enough to learn to spell my own last name, much less having a four-syllable middle name to deal with! 

My mom has only a few photos of her cousin, despite his family members owning a photo studio.  The one above is my favorite.