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Submit- Full
name
WATT, William Thompson - Date of
birth
15 December 1925 -
Age
19 -
Place of birth
Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona -
Hometown
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38579269 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
334th Bombardment Squadron,
95th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
3 February 1945 - Place of
death
400 m off beach pole 26 on the northwestern end of the island of Texel
The island of Texel, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| L | 16 | 14 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Charles W. Watt (father)
Marie F. (Flores) Watt (mother)
Charles A. Watt (brother)
Anita Watt (sister)
Hector B. Watt (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-102951 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Tempelhof railroad station
MACR: 12048
More information
Sgt William T. Watt enlisted at Fort Bliss, Texas on 17 February 1944.The aircraft was seen to be hit by flak just after bombs away, and a fire started on the wing. Three parachutes were seen to leave the aircraft on the eastern edge of Berlin. At that time, the aircraft was still on fire but under control. It also had a runaway prop but managed to fly as far as Texel. It crashlanded about 400 m off shore.
The entire crew of nine men was killed.
Note: Only the engineer Sgt Leroy R. Hansen's remains were never found. He is remembered at the Walls of the Missing at the American Military Cemetery and Memorial at Cambridge. The bodies of all the other crew members washed ashore on Texel or Terschelling. Therefore, it can be assumed that the testimony about seeing parachutes leaving the plane over Berlin concerns another airplane.
Sgt Watt's body washed ashore at the island of Terschelling on 8 April 1945.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Bill Watt (nephew)