IN WWII — Wanda Wills, shown here in a photograph taken of her during World War II, was recently honored as one of two parade grand marshals for Alleghany County's Fourth of July Parade. The other honoree was Sparta resident Walter Bell. A recent photo of Wills appears on Page 3A.

Wills recalls service to country

"I always wanted to be a nurse," said Wanda Reeves Wills, who was born and raised in Sparta. She trained at Sinai General Hospital in Baltimore, Md., then joined the staff there.

Not long after that, she and some of her friends volunteered to join the U.S. Army.

"The military needed nurses," Wills explained. "We thought we'd help them out for one year."

But that was in 1940, shortly before the United States was drawn into World War II. One year instead became five, as Wills went to England, France, Belgium and Germany, serving until the end of the war. She later decided to resume her military career and spent 16 years in the U.S. Air Force.

Wills was one of two grand marshals for last Saturday's Fourth of July parade in Sparta, as part of a special emphasis on honoring America's heroes.

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