Wayne Bissell was born on October 22, 1921, in Walker, Minnesota. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on September 14, 1939, and after completing enlisted bombardier training, he served as a B-25 Mitchell bombardier with the 34th Bomb Squadron of the 17th Bomb Group at McChord Field, Washington, and then at Pendleton Army Airfield, Oregon, until he was selected for the Doolittle Mission in February 1942. Sgt Bissell was the bombardier on the 9th B-25 to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) on April 18, 1942, and after bombing their assigned targets in Tokyo, Japan, the crew bailed out over China when their aircraft ran out of fuel. After returning to the United States, he attended pilot training and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings on July 28, 1943. After completing B-25 transition training, Lt Bissell served as a B-25 pilot with the 345th Bomb Group in New Guinea and in the Philippines before leaving active duty on July 21, 1945. Wayne Bissell died on January 9, 1997, and was buried at the Williamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.

His Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary achievement while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on April 18, 1942. Sergeant Bissell volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on Sergeant Bissell and the military service.