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Personal info

Full name
SOUTHERN, William A
Date of birth
11 January 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Staten Island, Richmond County, New York City, New York
Hometown
Staten Island, Richmond County, New York City, New York

Military service

Service number
O-886976
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
68th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
7 July 1944
Place of death
Near Steinhalleben, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 9 37

Immediate family

Members
Stanley Southern (father)
Marie J. Southern (mother)
Stanley Southern (brother)
Richard Southern (brother)
Robert Southern (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-110035
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Any Gum Chum
Destination: Bernburg, Germany
Mission: German aircraft factory
MACR: 7355

More information

2nd Lt William A. Southern was a clerk at Mutual Life Insurance before he enlisted in New York City, New York, on 7 September 1942.

Statement from 2nd Lt John F. Sarvis:
"Aircraft #035 was hit by the first enemy A/C attack on this formation at 0928 at the I.P. Number 4 engine was shot out and began smoking when the aircraft went into a steep right bank. One crew reports that this plane crashed, and that no chutes were seen. Since this formation was under heavy fighter attack at this time, observations were negligible."

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / 1940 Census, www.fold3.com, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Jac Engels