Memorial

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Sgt William J. Harrison graduated from Riley High School in 1938. He was employed by the Studebaker Corporation.

He enlisted in Indianapolis, Indiana on 5 October 1943 and received basic training at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He was sent overseas in July 1944.

The airplane was hit by flak over the target but continued the return flight with the formation until reaching coordinates 53°20'N-05°50'E at 1336 hours. At this point the plane went down under control and appeared to be leaking gasoline. Dutch civilians saw it crash and no parachutes were observed. They also stated that the plane could not be approached because of intense fire, explosions of ammunition and the presence of Germans.

The entire crew of nine men was killed, from which eight men are remembered at the Walls of the Missing at Margraten. Only the remains of the bombardier, Edward R. Bromage, were recovered after it washed ashore near Eenrum.

The crash occured on very marshy ground off the bank of a canal and due to the speed of the aircraft, it buried itself deeply in the ground. In August 1950, an American Graves Registration search team, although hampered in excavating the location by onrushing water from the canal, dug to a dept of about twenty-two feet wiithout locating any remains.