On the road

On the road

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW


 

William enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces on December 8, 1942. He had been in the reserves while in college.

After training as a gunner on B-17 Flying Fortresses, William was shipped overseas to England to join the famous 8th Air Force also known as “The Mighty Eighth.”

William served in the air war over Europe from June 28, 1944 to May 5, 1945. He was assigned to the 457th Bomb Group, 748th Bomber Squadron at Glatton England.

During his time with the 748th, that squadron flew many missions over occupied Europe including France and Germany.  The Luftwaffe was not entirely beaten the summer of 1944, and the squadron faced heavy opposition from planes as well as deadly 88mm anti-aircraft fire. The desperate Luftwaffe even took a page from the Japanese training manuals and began ramming B-17’s and B-24’s over Germany. The only difference was that, theoretically, the German pilot was supposed to bail out of his aircraft just before the ramming. Sometimes it worked, most of the time the pilot was killed.

The 748th flew a total of 236 missions before the war’s end.

William was discharged on July 6, 1945 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was awarded the EAME Campaign medal with 4 Bronze Stars as well as the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf clusters.     

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