William "Bill" Benton received numerous commendations as a military pilot in the United States Army. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Benton earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for Gallantry during the Vietnam War as a pilot of a UH-1 "Huey" rotorcraft. During his twenty-five year military career, Colonel Benton served as an Aircraft Commander and Instructor in numerous rotorcraft and fixed wing aircraft.
Following his retirement, Benton became Manager of the South Alabama Regional Airport. During his twenty-year tenure as Manager, Benton worked to develop the facility into a major economic resource in central Alabama. In March 1997, Colonel Benton was selected as the Federal Aviation Administration Southern Region Airport Manager of the Year, the first manager of a general aviation airport to receive this honor. In 2007, Benton was honored by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries for his success in developing the airport into a facility that profoundly impacted the economy of Covington County And south central Alabama. Benton also received the first ever lifetime achievement award presented by the Aviation Council of Alabama. The South Alabama Regional Airport - Bill Benton Field is named in his honor.
Bill Benton was inducted into the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame at the Southern Museum of Flight on the 26th of March 2011