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Personal info

Full name
WALKER, William L
Date of birth
1923
Age
unknown
Place of birth
Texas
Hometown
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas

Military service

Service number
38427044
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
568th Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
13 April 1944
Place of death
North Sea, 11 miles northwest of the port entrance of Ostend, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
James A. Walker (father)
Laura E. Walker (mother)
James C. Walker (brother)
Nina E. Walker (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-39819
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Anoxia Queen
Destination: Augsburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Messerschmitt Aviation Industry
MACR: 3947

More information

At about 1649 hours near Brussels, the plane was hit by flak on the return and fell out of formation and was last seen leaving the enemy coast near Ostend at about 10,000 feet. No parachutes were reported.

The entire crew of 10 was killed.

The body of Theodore R. Lipchitz washed ashore at Oost-Duinkerke, Belgium and was initially buried at the cemetery of this village. He is now buried in New Haven, Connecticut. The body of Wilmer R. Goldinger washed ashore at an unknown location and was initially buried at the Temporary U.S. Military Cemetery of St. André as Unknown X-809. After identification, he was given his final resting place at Normandy Cemetery. Robert Gibbs was interred at the English Memorial Cemetery at Coxyde, Belgium and evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery as Unknown X-5581, where he was permanently interred after identification. The remains of the rest of the crew were never recovered.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Astrid van Erp, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: Astrid van Erp, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree / Kathleen O'Brien