Bill Pattillo was born on June 3, 1924 in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Atlanta Technical High School. In November of 1942 he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps and completed the aviation cadet program and upon receiving his wings, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1944.

During World War II, Pattillo flew P-51 Mustangs with the 352nd Fighter Group in Europe. He flew 135 combat missions and succeeded in shooting down a German Me 262 jet fighter while engaged in a dogfight. Bill was shot down after his 135th mission while strafing an airfield and was captured by the Germans. For his actions in combat, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters.

At the end of World War II, Pattillo enrolled in the Georgia School of Technology and flew P-47 Thunderbolts with Georgia Air National Guard while he was a student. He was recalled to active duty in 1948 and assigned as a jet pilot to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Turner AFB in Albany, Georgia. He was soon back in Europe when his assignment changed again and Pattillo found himself flying F-80s and F-84s in German with the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing. While in Europe, he helped create and was an original team member of the USAFE/NATO aerial demonstration team, the "Skyblazers."

In 1952 he was assigned as a fighter gunnery instructor at Pinecastle AFB, Florida. He transferred to Luke AFB, Arizona in 1953 with his twin brother, Charles "Buck" Pattillo. Together they were instrumental in organizing and forming the "Thunderbirds," the first US Air Force official aerial demonstration team. Bill flew right wing and his brother, Buck, flew left wing on the original team in 1953. After flying with the Thunderbirds he was assigned as Commander of the 3603rd Combat Training Squadron at Luke AFB where he trained fighter pilots for the Korean War.

In 1959, Pattillo entered the University of Colorado and graduated in January 1962 with a degree in Mathematics. In February 1962 he was assigned to the 4450th Standardization and Evaluation Group, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Virginia. In 1964 he attended the US Arm War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. He graduated in 1965, and that same ear he received a Masters Degree in International Affairs at George Washington University, Washington D.C.

Pattillo transferred to Germany again in 1965 where he served as Deputy Commander for Operations with the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn AFB, flying F-4 Phantoms. In February, 1967, he became Director of Safety for the USAFE.

Bill transferred to Vietnam in 1968 where he served as Vice Commander for the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Bien Hoa AB, and shortly thereafter assumed duties as Commander of the 31st TFW at Tuy Hoa AB. During his tour in Vietnam he flew 236 combat missions in the F-100 and was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, and the Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters. Pattillo was then assigned to NATO's Allied Forces Central Europe as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Intelligence, and Senior United States Representative. He was assigned to the US Readiness Command, MacDill AFB, Florida as Director of Plans and Policy (J-5) in 1977

General Pattillo retired as a Major General in 1980 after 35 years of active service. He is married to the former Joyce Matthews of Atlanta, Georgia. They have four children and eight grandchildren.