Al Wells was born on April 10, 1922, in New York City, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in April 1942, and enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program in July 1942. Wells was commissioned a 2d Lt in the U.S. Marine Corps and was designated a Naval Aviator on July 1, 1943, and then completed F4U Corsair training before joining VMF-323, the Death Rattlers, in the Southwest Pacific in October 1944. The squadron deployed to Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa in April 1945, and he was credited with the destruction of 5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat between April and June 1945, including the 1st victory credited to VMF-323, on April 12, 1945. Lt Wells returned to the U.S. in late June 1945, and was promoted to Captain before leaving active duty in 1946. Al Wells Flew West on June 24, 2011.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.