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name
SIMMONS, William David III - Date of
birth
29 March 1923 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
High Point, Guilford County, North Carolina -
Hometown
High Point, Guilford County, North Carolina
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
2070159 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
548th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
4 April 1945 - Place of
death
North Sea, northwest of Terschelling, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
William D. Simmons Jr. (father)
Helen (Fisher) Simmons (mother)
Mary C. (Thurber) Simmons (sister)
Charles H. Simmons (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38210 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Angel's Sister
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission:Bombing of the Deutsche Werke AG, U-boat yards
MACR: 13720
More information
2nd Lt William D. Simmons III attended college.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Charlotte, North Carolina on 27 November 1942.
The airplane collided with B-17 #43-38639. It broke in two. The front half continued a loop and went over the top of the other aircraft. The remainder of the aircraft adhered to the other airplane. The front portion crashed into the North Sea and no parachutes were seen. The remainder crashed with the other aircraft.
An air/sea rescue search was made of the area but no crew members were seen nor were any bodies recovered.
Both B-17s had nine crew members. All eighteen men were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, MACR 13720, William David Thurber (nephew), www.ancestry.com - WWII Draft Cards Young Men, Newsboro Daily News - May 5, 1945
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Newsboro Daily News - 5 May 1945, Nancy Fisher