James Stephen Williams entered the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, serving as a navigator in the Pacific Theater with the 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron.

James Stephen Williams (July 3, 1924-?) entered the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II. He was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant (promoted to 2nd) and served as a navigator in the Pacific, where he navigated crews aboard B-29 Superfortresses and variants, such as the F-13A, while stationed with the 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in Guam. This was the same squadron that was assigned to fly behind the Enola Gay on August 6, 1945 during atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Williams was discharged in 1946 and entered the Air Force Reserve.

According to his 1953 Air Force Reserve Inventory Questionnaire, he graduated from Bucknell University in 1950 with a degree in Business Administration and was working for Sunshine Art Studios as general manager of the western branch offices in Pasadena, CA. He had 293:15 combat hours in flight and 684 total flying hours.