Bill Oliver

Military

Reported to ETO on 8 Aug 1943.

On 23 September 1943 returning from mission to Nantes, France, crashed in B-17#42-3449 while attempting to land at RAF Wing. All crew returned, but 3 seriously injured.

Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30707 'Piccadilly Commando', Prisoner of War (POW).

POW, AM

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

306th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

42-30065

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group

42-30707

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Piccadilly commando
Unit: 306th Bomb Group

Ground personnel attend the wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 306th Bomb Group that has crashed into a wood. Handwritten on reverse: '25/4/25.'

42-3449

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 306th Bomb Group

42-5889

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Liberty Belle
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 389th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron

Places

Stalag XVII-B

Site type: Prisoner of war camp
Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria

A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'

Thurleigh

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Bedford

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Covina, California

Revisions

Date30 May 2021 19:20:48

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added an association to the A/C #42-30065 per info in the A/C description section.

Date30 May 2021 19:17:41

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date1 Nov 2017 10:44:52

ContributorLucy May

Changes

Sources

http://www.ww2pow.info/index.php?page=directory&rec=100013

Date1 Nov 2017 10:43:51

ContributorLucy May

Changes

Sources

MACR 816 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Date27 Sep 2014 18:04:37

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 816, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey pp. 276, 320, 334, 290 pix and details of ac, First Over Germany pg. 170, Russell Strong Index Cards, 306th BGA Collection, / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…