William J. Cullerton

William J. "Bill" Cullerton Sr. (June 2, 1923 – January 12, 2013) was an American World War II flying ace, entrepreneur, radio show host, and outdoorsman. Cullerton destroyed twenty-one Axis planes during the war, including sixteen destroyed in low-altitude attacks on the ground, ranking him as the second highest strafing ace in the 355th Fighter Group. Cullerton was found and shot in the stomach by a German stormtrooper using his own gun. The ceremony, which was attended by then-Governor George Ryan and Illinois First Lady Lura Lynn Ryan, included a flyover by two P-51 Mustang planes. The William J. Cullerton Complex includes the 4,160-acre Illinois State Park and the North Point Marina on Lake Michigan, which is capable of holding approximately 1,500 boats.

Cullerton died at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois, on January 12, 2013, at the age of 89. He was survived by his wife, Elaine, three daughters and two sons. A longtime resident of Oak Brook, Illinois, Cullerton and his wife also owned a second home in Marco Island, Florida. He lived in Warrenville, Illinois, in 2000.

Awards and decorations Cullerton earned the following decorations:

French Croix de Guerre with Palm