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name
FLANNERY, William Howard - Date of
birth
30 June 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
South Dakota -
Hometown
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-760813 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
748th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
7 October 1944 - Place of
death
On a island in a river near Stettin Bay
Stettiner Haff, Poland
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Bertram T. Flannery (father)
Nora G. (Murray) Flannery (mother)
Kenneth Flannery (brother)
Robert Flannery (brother)
Walter Flannery (brother)
Norman Flannery (brother)
Ralph Flannery (brother)
Tommy Flannery (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97638 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Follow Me
Destination: Politz, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
MACR: 9773
More information
1st Lt William H. Flannery was employed at Southern California Gas Company.He enlisted in Los Angeles, California, on 9 December 1942.
The airplane was hit by flak just after bombs away, causing a fire in engine #3 and the right wing. The pilot made a diving maneuver to try to put out the flames.
Five crew members were killed, five men survived and were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - WWII Army Enlistment Records, 1938/ 1930-1940 census www.findagrave.com - Don Zas
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Homepage - The 457th Bomb Group (H) Association (457thbombgroupassoc.org)