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Personal info

Full name
COOTER, William Mattison
Date of birth
27 January 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Hometown
Evanston, Cook County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
O-705007
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
28 September 1944
Place of death
Southwest of Helmstedt Air Base
Süpplingen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
E 13 11

Immediate family

Members
Paul M. Cooter (father)
Jewell M. Cooter (mother)
Shirley S. Cooter (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-8330
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Braunkohle (BRABAG) synthetic oil plant
MACR: 9404

More information

William M. Cooter graduated from New Tier High School and Northwestern University.

He enlisted in March 1943, received his pilot's wings in January 1944 and after further pilot training he was sent overseas in June 1944.

The B-17 went into a spin after being attacked by German fighters and exploded almost immediatly thereafter. Two crew members could bail out and were taken prisoner. Seven men were killed. They were initially buried at the cemetery of Süpplingen.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.303rdbg.com, The Shield of Phi Kappa PSI - November 1945, www.newspapers.com - Chicago Tribune

Photo source: Michel Beckers, The Shield of Phi Kappa PSI - November 1945, www.303rdbg.com, www.findagrave.com - Robert Sage, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 44-A Gibbs Field, Texas