Warrant Officer Class I William Earl McClenaghan

William Earl McClenaghan served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War under service number R56290. He enlisted at Montreal on 14 August 1940 and trained first as a pilot before remustering as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in July 1941. He served with No. 6 (BR) Squadron at Alliford Bay, British Columbia, where he flew operationally and later rose through the ranks to Warrant Officer Class I. His service included periods of hospitalization for ear disease and, in 1945, atypical viral pneumonia followed by convalescence. His release certificate records the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. He was honourably released on 28 February 1946 and transferred to the RCAF Reserve General Section, Class E.

1918-05-17 — Born — Kelwood, Manitoba
1939-06 — Applied to join the RCAF at Ottawa; attestation later records result as 'Not accepted' — Ottawa, Ontario
1940-07-17 — Interviewed at RCAF Recruiting Centre; recommended for service as Air Gunner — Montreal, Quebec
1940-08-14 — Commenced RCAF service
1940-08-14 — Signed RCAF attestation and oath for active service — Montreal, Quebec — RCAF Recruiting Centre Montreal
1940-08-17 — Taken on strength at No. 2 Manning Depot — Brandon, Manitoba — No. 2 Manning Depot
1940-11-15 — Remustered to aircrew effective 15 November 1940
1941-01-07 — Medical selection recheck completed — Regina, Saskatchewan — No. 2 Medical Selection Board
1941-02-04 — Completed No. 2 Initial Training School Course 24; passed with 67%; posted to No. 14 Elementary Flying Training School — Regina, Saskatchewan — No. 2 ITS
1941-02-09 — Began elementary flying training, Course 26 — Portage la Prairie, Manitoba — No. 14 EFTS
1941-02-09 — Reclassified Leading Aircraftman while in pilot training
1941-03-05 — Medical re-examination while training at No. 14 EFTS; recorded fit, with 12:30 dual and 2:30 solo flying — Portage la Prairie, Manitoba — No. 14 EFTS
1941-04-14 — Completed elementary flying training; 72:15 flying hours; passed — Portage la Prairie, Manitoba — No. 14 EFTS
1941-04-22 — Began Service Flying Training Course 15 — Carberry, Manitoba — No. 33 SFTS
1941-06-28 — Service Flying Training report assessed flying below average and navigation poor; training record continued — Carberry, Manitoba — No. 33 SFTS
1941-06-28 — Pilot training on Course 15 discontinued after failure of the course — Carberry, Manitoba — No. 33 Service Flying Training School
1941-06-28 — Posted from No. 33 Service Flying Training School to Composite Training School — Trenton, Ontario — Composite Training School
1941-06-28 — Medical Board examination during pilot training — Calgary, Alberta — RCAF Medical Board
1941-07-14 — Medical interview following cessation of pilot training recommended training as Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
1941-07-16 — Remustered as Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
1941-07-21 — Posted from Composite Training School, Trenton, to Montreal — Montreal, Quebec
1941-08-17 — Began wireless training, Course 24 — No. 1 Wireless School
1942-01-30 — Posted to No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School — Dafoe, Saskatchewan — No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School
1942-01-31 — Completed wireless training; authorized to wear Wireless Operator's Badge — No. 1 Wireless School
1942-02-02 — Began armament/air-gunnery training, Course 26 — No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School
1942-03-02 — Promoted Temporary Sergeant — RCAF
1942-03-03 — Completed air-gunnery training and authorized to wear Air Gunner's Badge — No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School
1942-03-07 — Flying service commenced
1942-03-12 — Began qualifying operational service with 6 BR Squadron — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — 6 BR Squadron
1942-05-12 — Posted to No. 6 Squadron — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — No. 6 Squadron
1942-05-18 — Flew first operational sortie — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — 6 BR Squadron
1942-08-06 — Passed drill and ceremonial qualification for promotion from Sergeant to Flight Sergeant — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — No. 6 (BR) Squadron
1942-08-07 — Specialist examination recorded chronic tonsillitis and recommended tonsillectomy — Prince Rupert, British Columbia
1942-09-02 — Appointed Acting Flight Sergeant while serving with No. 6 (BR) Squadron — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — No. 6 (BR) Squadron
1943-01-30 — Completed annual pistol training, Table B, scoring 80 percent
1943-02-09 — Passed drill and ceremonial qualification for promotion from Flight Sergeant to Warrant Officer II — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — No. 6 Squadron
1943-03-02 — Promoted Warrant Officer Class II — RCAF
1943-08-12 — Admitted from duty with subacute bilateral otitis media — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1943-09-02 — Discharged to duty, much improved, after treatment for bilateral otitis media; temporarily grounded — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1943-09-30 — Married Theresa Louise Bellock — Regina, Saskatchewan
1943-11-01 — Referred for Command E.N.T. Consultant examination after recurrent right-ear discharge; grounded pending investigation — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — No. 6 Squadron
1943-11-12 — Admitted with C.S.O.M. affecting both ears — No. 3 (BR), British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1943-11-22 — Discharged to duty after treatment for bilateral ear disease, with 48 hours excused duty — No. 3 (BR), British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1943-12-02 — Promoted Temporary Warrant Officer Class I — RCAF
1944-01-17 — ENT examination found him fit for full flying duties; tonsillectomy recommended — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Alliford Bay
1944-04-22 — Struck off strength of No. 6 Squadron and posted onward — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — No. 6 Squadron
1944-07-03 — 1939–43 Star application certified and approved — 6 BR Squadron service, Alliford Bay, British Columbia — Alliford Bay, British Columbia — 6 BR Squadron
1944-12-17 — Daughter Patricia Ann McClenaghan born — Sidney, British Columbia
1945-05-20 — Overseas service terminated
1945-07-07 — Admitted with atypical viral pneumonia — Patricia Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1945-07-27 — Transferred after improvement from RCAF Station Hospital Patricia Bay to No. 6 Convalescent Hospital — Victoria, British Columbia — No. 6 Convalescent Hospital
1945-08-06 — Personnel counselling interview recorded construction/apprentice background and plans for electrical-engineering study after discharge
1945-08-31 — Discharged recovered and fit full duty — Victoria, British Columbia — No. 6 Convalescent Hospital
1945-10-20 — Applied for enlistment or appointment to the RCAF during the transition period — Patricia Bay, British Columbia
1945-10-29 — Commanding officer recorded 'Not recommended for retention in the Service' on transition-period application — Patricia Bay, British Columbia
1945-11-22 — RCAF Headquarters forwarded Warrant Script No. 2690 to Mrs. W. E. McClenaghan for safekeeping — Sidney, British Columbia
1945-12-15 — Reported identification discs/cards lost while on leave — Patricia Bay, British Columbia
1946-01-10 — Admitted from Sick Parade with tinea circinata and secondary infection — Patricia Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1946-01-14 — Western Air Command authorized honourable release and transfer to RCAF Reserve General Section, Class E — Vancouver, British Columbia
1946-01-24 — Transition-period application disposition recorded 'No quota — not approved'
1946-01-26 — Discharged improved after treatment for tinea circinata; attached to C48 hours — Patricia Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1946-01-31 — Readmitted with recurrent tinea circinata / furuncular-type lesions of the axillae — Patricia Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1946-02-13 — Discharged to duty after recurrent axillary lesions healed — Patricia Bay, British Columbia — RCAF Station Hospital
1946-02-24 — Struck off strength for posting to release centre; 30 days special/disembarkation leave authorized
1946-02-26 — Medical Board recorded chronic tonsillitis and residual perforation of the left tympanic membrane; veteran stated the ear condition had prevented further flying duties — No. 8 Personnel Centre
1946-02-28 — Honourably released and transferred to RCAF Reserve General Section, Class E — Vancouver, British Columbia
1946-02-28 — Received release documents and War Service Badge General Service Class No. 513770
1946-02-28 — Release-centre Part II order recorded discharge/release administration, General Service Badge No. 513770, and discharge address 362 Queens Avenue, Sidney, British Columbia — No. 8 Release Centre
1946-04-09 — Western Air Command advised that postwar re-engagement application could not be accepted because available positions were limited