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name
TOWSLEY, William Raymond - Date of
birth
31 January 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Oregon -
Hometown
Siletz, Lincoln County, Oregon
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
39321357 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
511th Bombardment Squadron,
351st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
4 October 1943 - Place of
death
Westerschelde, east of Ellewoutsdijk, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 38 | 21 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Irvin T. Towsley (father)
Zelma H. (Beatty) Towsley (mother)
Paul M. Towsley (brother)
Harold T. Towsley (brother)
Elva (Murray) Towsley (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-5807 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Rikki Tikki Tavi aka Minor Ball
Destination: Frankfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke (VDM) aviation industry
MACR: 910
More information
S/Sgt William R. Towsley enlisted in Portland, Oregon on 4 November 1942.The aircraft was shot down by flak and enemy aircraft on the return flight and crashed at 12.25 h.
The entire crew of ten men was killed.
Only two bodies were recovered. S/Sgt Towsley's body washed ashore. The exact date and location is not known. The body of S/Sgt Burgess washed ashore at Buitenhaven, Vlissingen on 19 October 1943. He was initially buried at the Northern Cemetery of Vlissingen a day later.
his son was only 11 months old when he was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees / Enlistment Record / WWII Draft Card
Photo source: www.findagrave.com