CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – The 130th Airlift Wing honored United States Air Force (Ret.) Col. William D. Peters Jr. at the Wing Headquarters building by inducting him as the newest member to the Hall of Honor on April 11, 2026.
Peters is the Wing’s third inductee in the Hall of Honor, which was founded in 2021 to celebrate and honor former members of the unit that gave exceptional service and left a resounding impact on the organization.
Leadership from the West Virginia Air National Guard and family were in attendance to celebrate Peters’ induction into the Hall of Honor.
Col. Richard Switzer, commander of the 130th Airlift Wing, presided over the ceremony and remarked on the significance of the day’s event stating what an honor it was to be able to recognize a trailblazer such as Col. Peters.
“Col. Peter’s has left a legacy at the 130th Airlift Wing as an aviator, mentor, and friend to the unit,” Switzer said. “He is the type of generational leader that we want our Airmen to aspire to be – universally recognized for their talent and commitment to excellence. We couldn’t be more proud to honor him and his family for their more than 30 years of selfless dedication to the Wing and its members with his induction into the Hall of Honor today.”
Peters served with the unit for over three decades where he contributed to the success of not only the 130th AW, but also worked to ensure the success of state and national goals. Peters’ extensive service saw the transition from the 130th Air Commando Group to the 130th Airlift Wing, as well as significant changes to the mission and aircraft that ensued.
His career began in 1969, when he was commissioned with the 130th Air Commando Group as a second lieutenant after graduating from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at West Virginia State College. Peters honed his flying skills over the years, gaining more than 26,000 military and civilian flight hours.
With this extensive training and skill, he was lauded by fellow aviators for his abilities and aircraft knowledge. Peters has even continued to perform invaluable service to the 130th as a member of the Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority Board of Directors and as the leader of the “Keep ’em Flying” Organization which played a crucial role in removing the 130th from the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list.
His dedication and expert understanding of the mission led him to be appointed as the deputy commander for operations. Under his leadership, the unit successfully executed the largest single wartime mobilization and deployment in its history in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. For his efforts, Peters was awarded the Bronze Star. He went on to serve as the operations group commander, vice wing commander and wing commander. His efforts in these roles laid the groundwork for 130th AW components that would later deploy post 9/11 as part of the Global War on Terrorism.
In addition to his military service, Peters and his wife, Sharon, were instrumental in the formation of the 130th AW’s family support group, which laid the foundation for the modern-day Airman and family readiness group at the unit.
Reflecting on the Wing’s legacy, Peters praised its continued excellence and mission success.
While he was serving as the wing commander, he had a picture hanging in his office called “Project 2020”, an expectation of what the unit would look like. “You guys got it done by 2010,” said Peters. “That’s the 130th.”
His pride for the 130th Airlift Wing has not diminished since retirement but remained steadfast. Similarly, his contributions to aviation have continued as he works for the State of West Virginia as a flight examiner. Peters has been flying since he was 16 years old and has continued to increase his flight hours. “I’m still having a good time,” he said. “I’m still flying.”
Past inductees in the 130th Airlift Wing Hall of Honor include Chief Master Sgts. Dan Chandler and Ronald Bowe.
