William Gustav Huhtanen was born on May 21, 1921 in New York to Finnish immigrants Väinö Gustav Huhtanen and Aurora Huhtanen (née Telenius Kivimäki). His father was a carpenter, and his mother a housewife. William was raised in Brooklyn at 9224 Rost Place.

William was a member of the Kiwanis Eagles and was sworn in for air training by Borough President Cashmore in December of 1942. After completing the elementary and intermediate course at Colgate University, he received primary flight training at Glenview, Illinois. After completion he was tranferred to Corpus Christi, Texas, and then to the U.S. Naval TADCEN Shoemaker in California. He reported to the U.S.S. Uranus in San Francisco on August 22, 1944. After almost two years at sea, he was transferred in Norfolk, VA from the U.S.S. Uranus to PSC, Lido Beach, NY.

William had an older sister, Siiri Kivimäki, who grew up in Finland.

William G Huhtanen