WILLIAMS, William J

Name: William J WILLIAMS

Born 7 September 1920

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 23

Birthplace: Oaktown, Indiana

Died 22 November 2007 in Titusville, Florida, age 87

Service: USAAF

Service ID: 35721866

Service Rank: Staff Sergeant

Duties: Gunner

Air Group: 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group, 549th Bomb Squadron

Airbase: Great Ashfield, Suffolk UK

Aircraft: B-17F 42-30354

Date shot down: 29 January 1944

Fate of crew: 1 KIA, 9 evaded, 6 recaptured, 4 of them sent to Buchenwald (Williams, POWELL, REYNOLDS, and PACHA.

Evasion summary: Stayed in Recquignies (Nord) after they left Belgium. Then went to Pacy sur Eure, where they stayed with M Poulailler. Mr Gresser gave them to Letonsorer, who gave them to Desoubrie.

Date captured: 3 August 1944

Capture summary:

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar #1 or #2

Buchenwald ID: 78294

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, South Compound

Kriege ID: 8197

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Stalag VIIA, Moosburg, by train from Spremberg after forced winter march, 27-30 January, arriving 4 February 1945.

Notes on SVIIA internment:

Liberation: 29 April 1945 by Patton’s Third Army

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

VA status:

Notes on Post-War period: