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name
CASSIDY, William H - Date of
birth
2 February 1921 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Brooklyn, New York City, New York -
Hometown
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32346219 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
322nd Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
8 April 1945 - Place of
death
Stendahl, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
William W. Cassidy (father)
Rose Cassidy (mother)
Julia C. Cassidy (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31333 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Wee Willie
Destination: Standahl, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 13881
More information
S/Sgt William H. Cassidy attended Fort Hamilton High School and worked in a machine shop.He enlisted at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York on 29 May 1942.
Statement from S/Sgt George Little, crew member of another B-17 in the same group:
"We were flying over the target at 20,500 feet altitude when I observed aircraft B-17G, 42-31333 to receive a direct flak hit approximately between the bomb-bay and the No. 2 engine. The aircraft immediately started into a vertical dive. The aircraft fuselage was on fire and when it had dropped approximately 5,000 feet the left wing fell off. It continued down when the fuselage was about 3,000 feet from the ground it exploded, and then exploded again when it hit the ground. I saw no crew members leave the aircraft or parachutes open."
All nine crew members were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, MACR, New York City Department of Health, 1940 US Census
Photo source: Fred Munckhof/FindAGrave, Fort Hamilton High School Yearbook 1943