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WILLIAMS, Gaylon Clovis - Date of
birth
10 July 1923 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Donie, Freestone County, Texas -
Hometown
Limestone County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-720046 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
10 October 1944 - Place of
death
Neuruppin, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes - unknown
Immediate family
-
Members
Elbert H. Williams (father)
Mary L. (Cobbs) Williams (mother)
Emma Williams (sister)
Carl L. Williams (brother)
Mary E. Williams (sister)
Paul R. Williams (brother)
Ovid E. Williams (brother)
Elbert H. Williams (brother)
Jerry V. Williams (brother)
Bobby J. Williams (brother)
Gerry G. Williams (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-107196 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Temptress
Destination: Brux, Czech Republic
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil plant
MACR: 8825
More information
2nd Lt Gaylon Williams attended college.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Houston, Texas on 18 February 1943.
The mission took place on 12 September 1944.
The airplane received a hit in the #1 engine and the propeller was feathered. It first dropped back out off formation and seemed to be holding altitude pretty well. Then it slid off to the left and made a 180 degree turn to the east. When it was last seen, it was in a tight spin after the crew had bailed out.
Eyewitnesses state that 2nd Lt Gaylon C. Williams was badly wounded when he bailed out, about 40 miles northeast of Berlin, Germany. He was taken prisoner of war and was evacuated to a hospital in Neuruppin. He died a month later after much suffering. He was initially buried in Neuruppin.
The airplane crashed near Jachymov, Czechoslovakia.
The other nine crew members survived and were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.303rdbg.com, National WWII memorial, Footnote
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.303rdbg.com