William Tamm Arnold, Commander, USN
Class of 1963

Commander William Tamm Arnold was born in Milwaukee on 25 June 1940, the son of William A. and Lois T. Arnold. After graduating from West Allis Central High School in 1958, he accepted a Naval ROTC scholarship to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received a B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1963. Upon completion of flight training, LTJG Arnold was assigned to VA-22 flying the A-4C “Skyhawk” aircraft, first onboard the USS MIDWAY (CVA 41) and a second deployment on the USS CORAL SEA (CVA 43), which conducted combat operations off the coast of North Vietnam. Despite heavy weather, he successfully completed a bombing mission on 18 November 1966 in the Cape Mui Ron area of North Vietnam and then radioed he was going down. Search efforts were unsuccessful in finding him. He was listed as missing in action and regularly promoted until 16 May 1978, when a presumption of death was made. Commander Arnold’s remains have not been recovered. In recognition of his service, the President of the United States has posthumously awarded him the Air Medal (First through Eleventh Strike/Flight Awards) and the Purple Heart.