William L. Davis (1922 - 1944)

Born 1922 in New York, United States

Died 6 Oct 1944 at about age 22 in Brandenburg, Germany

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Killed in Action

2nd Lt. William Davis was Killed in Action during World War II.

Biography

2nd Lt. William Davis served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II
Service started: Feb 01 1943
Unit(s): 42-98016 (B-17)
Service ended: KIA Oct 6,1944

Second Lieutenant William Davis was born in New York, in 1922 to Milton & Gertrude Davis. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps on February 1, 1943. He listed himself as single, without dependents when he joined the service, meaning he likely never married or had any children. In the Air Corps, he served as a Co-Pilot on 6 different B-17s. The last B-17 that he served on was B-17 42-98016, which had no known nickname. On October 6, 1944, B-17 42-98016, piloted by 2nd Lt. Robert G Funk, was flying in a squadron of 29 planes, when they were reportedly ambushed from above and behind by somewhere from 25-70 enemy planes, while en route to their targeted destination. No aircraft in the group returned to base that day. Of B-17 42-98016's crew of 9 men, 8 were KIA, leaving 2nd Lt. Robert L. Mcnichols (Bombardier) the sole survivor/ POW.

William is buried at Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial in Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium.

The 7 other men from B-17 42-98016 that died October 6, 1944 were;

SSGT Eugene F Cahill Radio Operator

2nd Lt. George W Curtis Navigator

SGT Chester B Foster Tail Gunner

2nd Lt. Robert G Funk Pilot

SGT Burnie B Goldson Jr. Waist Gunner

SGT Delmar A Harmon Ball-Turret Gunner

SGT Douglas R Randolph Top-Turret Gunner

B-17 42-98016 was a part of the 385th Bomb Group, as well as the 548th Bomb Squadron.

The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Brigadier General Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9 October 1943, during which only two out of one hundred B-17s were lost and all of the buildings on the site were damaged or destroyed. They won two Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, awarded to all 4th Bomb Wing Groups, was for accurately dropping their pay load on an aircraft factory at Regensburg, on 17 August 1943 and the Group's second was awarded after leading a difficult long-range mission to destroy an aircraft repair works at Zwickau, south-west Germany, on 12 May 1944.

William participated in the following missions as a Co-Pilot;

Mission No. 185 – 17 September – Target Arnheim – 40 aircraft flown.

William was in the Raggedy Ann 42-31395 that day and returned to base safely.

Mission No. 186 – 19 September – Target Kohlenz – 36 aircraft flown.

William was in the Quittin' Time 42-97530 that day and returned to base safely.

Mission No. 189 – 26 September – Target Bremen – 37 aircraft flown. Lundsberg, 42-107035, Reluctant Lady, crashed in Germany, 10 POW, MACR 10204. Lamont, 44-6008, Heavenly Body, ditched in the North Sea, – 2 KIA, 7 rescued.

William was in the Sweet and Lovely 43-38233 that day and returned to base safely.

Mission No. 190 – 27 September – Target Lugwigshaven – 23 a/c flown.

William was in the Hell's Belles 43-37803 that day and returned to base safely.

Mission No. 192 –3 October– Target Giebelstadt–13 a/c flown.

William was in the Hit Parade, Jr. 42-38031 that day and returned to base safely.

Mission No. 194 – 6 October- Target Munster- 29 aircraft flown. Leverett, 42-97275, Roger the Dodger, crashed in Germany, 1 KIA, 9 POW, MACR 9522. Taylor, 42-98010, crashed in Germany, 8 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 9523. Funk, 42-98016, crashed in Germany, 8 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 9524. Kaplan, 43-37548, Lamplight Lil, crashed in Germany, 3 KIA, 6 POW, MACR 9517. Courcelle, 43-38060, Texas Bluebonnet, crashed in Germany, 8 KIA, 1 POW, MACR 9508. Tuley, 43-38217, crashed in Germany, 6 KIA, 3 POW, MACR 9519. Andreas, 43-38430, crashed in Germany, 4 KIA, 5 POW, MACR 9520. Noiseau, 44-6159, West Virginian, crashed in Germany, 7 KIA, 2 POW, MACR 9515. Batty, 44-8143, Roger the Dodger crashed in Germany, 7 KIA, 3 POW, MACR 9516. Jens, 42-102465, Wee Willie Wilber, crashed in Germany, 9 KIA, MACR 9525. Isaacson, 42-97079, Dozy Doats, crashed in Germany, 5 KIA, 4 POW, MACR 9521.

William was in B-17 42-98016 that day and failed to return to base. That was his last mission. 65 men were KIA in this mission, and 36 captured as POWs.

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56357819

http://www.385thbga.com/

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/11091

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/233416

"United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMFQ-4F4 : 5 December 2014), William L Davis, enlisted 03 Feb 1941, Brooklyn, New York, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X786-43B : accessed 18 November 2019), William L Davis in household of Milton R Davis, Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 169, sheet 6A, line 4, family 26, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1453; FHL microfilm 2,341,188.