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name
RENAUD, William Gimble - Date of
birth
1 February 1917 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Hampden County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-791145 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
336th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
13 June 1943 - Place of
death
Baltic Sea, off the coast of Langeland Island, Denmark
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
William J. Renaud (father)
Marie A. (Vincent) Renaud (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-29702 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Rat killer
Destination: Kiel, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Krupp Germaniawerft - U-boat yards
MACR: 4896
More information
1st Lt William G. Renaud was a chauffeur before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Boston, Massachusetts on 18 December 1941.The aircraft was last seen over Kiel, Germany, at 54 to 55 degrees north latitude and 08 to 10 degrees east longitude. It was shot down by enemy fighters. The entire crew of ten men was killed.
Soon after the crash, only the bodies of McMurtry, Lambert, and Julliard were actually found. The remains of 1st Lt William Gimble Renaud washed ashore off the beach at Pagenkop, Langeland Island, on 7 January 1958. He is buried at the Ardennes American Cemetery, and also listed at the Walls of the Missing at Margraten.
The rest of the crew is still listed as missing in action.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com
Photo source: www.fold3.com, Peter Schouteten