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Submit- Full
name
LEE, William Wendle "Bill" - Date of
birth
18 August 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Nowata, Nowata County, Oklahoma -
Hometown
Sulphur, Murray County, Oklahoma
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-818169 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
776th Bombardment Squadron,
464th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with 2 Oak leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
16 October 1944 - Place of
death
Leonding, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 27 | 15 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Asia A. Lee (father)
Pheoba M. (Meador) Lee (mother)
Pauline Lee (sister)
Dorthea Lee (sister)
Mae L. Lee (sister)
Earl A. Lee (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-51389 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Flying Box Car, Flying Coffin
MACR: 9132
Destination: St. Valentin, Austria
Mission: Bombing the tank factory
MACR: 9132
More information
The airplane was hit by anti-aircraft fire, which blew off at least 25 feet of the left wing. The plane veered to the left, almost hitting another airplane, and fell to the earth.Eight crew members were killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Leonding, Austria, on 17 October 1944. One man survived and was taken prisoner.
1st Lt William W. Lee was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of St. Avold, France.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Find A Grave, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, www.ancientlights.org - My Father's Story
Photo source: Find A Grave, http://ancientlights.org/fifteenth.html