William James O'Dwyer

William James O'Dwyer February 13, 1921 - August 29, 2008 Maj. William J. O'Dwyer, 87 (USAF Ret.) of St. Augustine and formerly of Fairfield, CT, the devoted husband of Doris K. O'Dwyer for over 65 years, died August 29, 2008 at his home. Born in Bridgeport, CT he was a veteran of the Army Air Corp during World War II as a Pilot. Maj. O'Dwyer retired from the Air Force in 1978 after thirty-six years of service to his country and where he was a member of the 9315th Squadron. Prior to his retirement, he was the owner of his own planning and engineering business where he worked on numerous projects including designing and building homes, stores, industrial projects, boat basins, the Park City Hospital and Trumbull High School. He also served as Project Manager for the First Presbyterian Church in Fairfield and the new Trumbull High School. After his retirement, he devoted the balance of his life to research, writing and projects in aviation, including serving as Contributing Editor for "Flight Journal", an aviation magazine based in CT. He was also trained by NASA to serve as a courier of lunar rock samples for a tour in Germany. In that capacity, he met, interviewed and befriended Professor Herman Oberth, who was considered the "Father of Modern Rocketry". Maj. O'Dwyer was the first to place a lunar rock in the hands of Professor Oberth. For over 60 years, Maj. O'Dwyer researched the accomplishments of Gustav Albin Weisskopf (Whitehead), the father of motorized space flight, who flew his own plane in Fairfield, CT in 1901, two years prior to the Wright Bros. flight at Kitty Hawk. Maj. O'Dwyer chronicled this first flight in his book, "History by Contract". Based on this new discovery, he was made an Honorary Citizen of Leutershausen, Germany where Gustav Weisskopf was born. His hobbies also included woodcarvings. Maj. O'Dwyer was also a member of the American Legion Post #74, the St. Augustine Navy League, and a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Susan M. Brinchman of La Mesa, CA; a son, Thomas D. O'Dwyer of Chapel Hill, NC and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, William R. O'Dwyer. A Graveside Service with full Military Honors was held on Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Cemetery in Fairfield, CT. A Memorial Mass will be held at 9:00 a.m., September 15, at Corpus Christi Catholic. Donations may be made in his memory to the American Diabetes Assn., P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312. St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.