Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
BEESON, William Henry - Date of
birth
20 August 1918 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
San Jacinto City, Harris County, Texas -
Hometown
Shepherd, San Jacinto County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-729700 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
834th Bombardment Squadron,
486th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
2 November 1944 - Place of
death
Kriegsdorf, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| I | 8 | 21 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John R. Beeson Sr. (father)
Laura B. (Monzingo) Beeson (mother)
John R. Beeson (brother)
Samuel P. Beeson (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-37883 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Blue Streak
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Leuna synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 10168
More information
1st Lt William H. Beeson was an architect before he joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army at Kelly Field, Texas on 4 February 1941.The aircraft took a direct hit from flak just after bombs away. There was an explosion and the plane broke into many flaming pieces. No parachutes were seen. Sgt Bacon, a crew member of another plane, saw two men come out of the plane. He couldn't say whether they had jumped or been thrown clear. He saw no parachutes.
As this happened a crew member of another plane took a photo of Blue Streak and this photo appeared in most of the London newspapers and one New York newspaper.
The entire crew was killed. They were initially buried on the cemeteries of Kreypau and Kriegsdorf.
Lt Beeson was first buried in a temporary grave at Margraten on 15 May 1945. He was given his final resting place in February 1949.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, NARA, Footnote.com, 486th.org, www.ancestry.com - Beeson Family Tree, wwwfold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, John D. Beeson