Bill Allen was born on April 22, 1924, in Los Angeles, California. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve on July 8, 1942, and entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on January 2, 1943. Allen was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Williams Field, Arizona, on November 3, 1943, and then flew P-39 Airacobras and P-38 Lightnings in the U.S. before joining the 343rd Fighter Squadron of the 55th Fighter Group in England in May 1944. The Group transitioned from the P-38 to the P-51 Mustang in July 1944. Lt Allen was credited with destroying 5 enemy aircraft during one mission on September 5, 1944, making him an ace in a day. He returned to the U.S. in March 1945 and served as an instructor pilot until May 1949, when he went into Air Rescue. Capt Allen served with the 8th Air Rescue Squadron at Camp Carson, Colorado, RAF Lakenheath, England, Stead AFB, Nevada, and RAF Oxfordshire, England, from May 1952 to April 1954, followed by service with the 62nd Air Rescue Squadron at Stead AFB until September 1954. He served as Flying Safety Officer for the 3635th Combat Crew Training Wing at Stead AFB from September 1954 to September 1955, and then Flying Safety Officer at Athens, Greece, from September 1955 to April 1958. Maj Allen served with the 3555th Flying Training Wing at Perrin AFB, Texas, from April 1958 to January 1962, and then served as the commander of the 3435th and 3428th School Squadrons at Lowry AFB, Colorado, from February 1962 until his retirement from the Air Force on January 31, 1963. After retiring from the Air Force, Bill worked as an accident investigator with the Civil Aeronautics Board and for the Federal Aviation Administration, and he then became an aviation safety consultant.