Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
HORAN, William Paul - Date of
birth
15 January 1917 -
Age
27 - Place of
birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Brockton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O1305581 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
547th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
27 December 1944 - Place of
death
Arenberg-Koblenz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 18 | 2 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William Horan (father)
Madeline (Schwartz) Horan (mother)
Helen Horan (sister)
Leo F. Horan (brother)
Edward T. Horan (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-107083 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Altenahr, Germany
Mission: Bombing of a railroad bridge
MACR: 11248
More information
William Horan was a policeman before he enlisted at Fort Devens, Massachusetts on 24 February 1942.The squadron didn't hit the primary target but attacked the secondary target which was the marshalling yards in Koblenz.
A flak burst hit behind the ball turret and completely disengaged the tail assembly from the rest of the airplane. After the tail section broke off, the airplane plunged to earth.
Seven crew members were killed, and two men were taken prisoner.
His brother Edward served with the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theatre.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.findagrave.com, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census, www.ancestry.com
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.wwiimemorial.com