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Submit- Full
name
REESE, William Clayton - Date of
birth
29 September 1921 -
Age
22 -
Place of birth
Tremonton, Box Elder County, Utah -
Hometown
Bear River City, Box Elder County, Utah
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-743090 -
Rank
Captain -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
364th Fighter Squadron,
357th Fighter Group
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
21 May 1944 - Place of
death
Drigge, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 27 | 8 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Harold J. Reese (father)
Olive (Jensen) Reese (mother)
Milton Reese (brother)
Earl Reese (brother)
Donald Reese (brother)
Diane Reese (sister)
Helen Reese (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-12313 -
Data
Type: P-51B
Nickname: Bear River Betsy
Mission: Strafing
MACR: 4996
More information
Statement of 1st Lt Charles D. Summer Jr., who flew in the same mission: "I was flying Greenhouse Green No. 2, wingman to Lt Reese. After strafing a locomotive at the edge of Stralsund, we then proceeded to strafe a camouflaged building area which had previously been strafed by Lt. Howell and his wingman. Lt Reese came in on the deck strafing the buildings and as he passed over them, he pulled up to approximately 200 feet over Kubitzer Bay. At this point, the under side of his fuselage was being hit by intense light flak. These hits caused his left wing root to catch fire and his plane nosed into the bay, exploding on contact. This occurred right offshore of the town of Stralsund at 1310."Capt Reese was initially buried at the St. Jürgen Cemetery in Stralsund, Germany on 26 May 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.ancestry.com, Utah Military Records, Ogden Standard Examiner
Photo source: FOHF, Jim Anderson