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name
WILLIS, Charles Webster Jr - Date of
birth
9 December 1921 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
St. Louis, Missouri -
Hometown
Evanston, Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-738316 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
366th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
14 October 1943 - Place of
death
Horn, near Roermond, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| K | 8 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Charles W. Willis (father)
Lily M. Willis (mother)
Martha J. Willis (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3549 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the KugelFischer ball bearings factory
MACR: 918
More information
Charles Willis attended Evanston Township High School and was an advertising agent.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Chicago, Illinois on 18 March 1942. He was trained for the Army Air Corps at Santa Ana and at Gardner Field, California. In September 1943, he flew from Grand Island, Nebraska to Scotland. This was his ninth mission.
The plane was attacked by enemy fighters and left the formation near Geilenkirchen, Germany. It was last steen on fire and exploded in the air near Horn, Netherlands.
Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner, four men were killed.
Lt Willis gave the order to bail out but did not bail out himself. He was last seen at the controls.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1910/1940 Census / School Yearbook
Photo source: Michel Beckers, www.ancestry.com - Evanston Township High School Yearbook 1944