Third Master Sgt. Derrell Willson retires from Air Force

Three generations of U.S. Air Force master sergeants are represented in a painting and in real life in front of Bldg. 1 Sept. 16. From left: retired Master Sgt. Derrell Willson, retired Master Sgt. Derrell Willson II, and now retired Master Sgt. Derrell Willson III. Willson III retired Sept. 16 ending almost 65 years of continuous service to the U.S. Air Force from the Willsons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Joseph Gocong)

Third Master Sgt. Derrell Willson retires from Air Force

Published Sept. 21, 2016
By Kenji Thuloweit
412th Test Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --

For the third time in U.S. Air Force history, a Master Sgt. Derrell Willson has retired from the force.

Master Sgt. Derrell Willson III, formerly of the 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, retired Sept. 16 in front of Bldg. 1, and in front of his father, retired Master Sgt. Derrell Willson II, and his grandfather – the original Master Sgt. Derrell Willson. Together, the three men have served almost 65 continuous years in the United States Air Force, which includes conflicts spanning from the Korean War to the War on Terror and monumental events from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Inspired to follow in his father’s and grandfather's footsteps, Willson III achieved his goal of making master sergeant. He spent his final assignment working on electronics and communications systems to support the F-22 Raptor program here. It was a career path similar to his father's, which was in the teletype communications field, and not too different from his grandfather's Air Force career as a radar technician.