ABOUT WILLIAM ROY
Bill Roy began his military service with the Florida National Guard in a machine-gun company, making three summer training missions. The last one was at Camp Foster which is now the site of the Naval Air Station, Jacksonville.
He entered naval service in 1939, with his first assignment aboard the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-33) in the engineering department, then as a boat engineer. Collateral duty was as ship's photographer.
In 1941, Bill Roy was ordered to the Naval School of Photography and subsequently reported to the carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5). He flew missions during the Marshall-Gilbert Island Campaign as an observer and photographer. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, Bill was stationed on the open bridge. His still and motion picture photography of this battle and the sinking of the carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) were made into a film by the Navy.
Lieutenant Commander William (Bill) G. Roy, USNR
At the Battle of Midway, on June 4,1942, Bill Roy took station on the signal bridge and made motion and still pictures of the battle. When the order came to abandon the crippled Yorktown, he preserved the historic film footage by taping the cans of film to his life jacket.In July 1953, Bill Roy received a direct commission as a photographic officer. He later served as the NAS Anacosta photographic officer and Navy Intelligence Officer before going into the inactive naval reserve. He retired in 1981 as a Lieutenant Commander.
Following military service, Bill Roy furthered his education, receiving both a law degree and MBA. He continued to serve his country by playing a key role with the Martin Company at their Test Division, Cape Canaveral, Florida, for Missiles and Rocket testing, as well as similar work for the Air Force. He was then heavily involved as Contract Manager/Director in both NASA's Gemini Project for the launch of two astronauts into space and the Apollo Moon Project at Cape Kennedy.
He subsequently worked for the Dow Chemical Corporation, first as their international attorney, then as corporate counsel at their world headquarters. During this time, he served on the presidential commission for review of all Federal government procurement laws, rules, and regulations.
Bill and Barbara Roy enjoying a well-earned retirement
Upon retirement from Dow, Bill Roy entered into private law practice in Florida, and now resides with his wife, Barbara, in Naples, Florida.