Born on March 13, 1897 in Ft. Collins, Colorado, William Taylor joined the Air Mail Service on September 17, 1920. Prior to joining the postal service, Taylor served for 22 months in the Army air service and flew airplanes for the Curtiss Company after the war.
Taylor's evaluation period at College Park, Maryland did not go well, and he was fired only a few days after being appointed. In his recommendation for Taylor's separation, Chief of Flying D.B. Colyer wrote:
"Mr. Taylor was employed as a pilot . . . and sent out to College Park for try out. Yesterday afternoon in making into land he evidently went sound to sleep and caught the right wing of the ship on the overhang of the #3 hangar. This caused the ship to turn sideways and land on the two left wings, propeller and landing gear. No other parts of the ship damaged. It is my opinion that Mr. Taylor showed that he does not possess the necessary qualifications to fly in the Air Mail Service."
