William Featherstone Gilmore
MilitaryFRONT L-R: SGT John R Kelly (RO), SGT Sebastian Bucheri (WG), SGT James Traylor (BT), LT Walter Harvey (Obs./TG - Asst. 544th Ops Ofcr), CAPT William Gilmore (Air Commander and Pilot - 544th CO).
BACK L-R: SGT John Blauer (WG), SGT John Kilcourse (TT), LT Charles Everson (N), LT Robert Kennedy (B), LT Jesse Hausenfluck (P).
*Abortive mission: 384th Air Commander was unable to resolve difficulties of formation recognition during prolonged assembly process, and elected to return to base rather than commit his force to follow an unidentified combat wing to an unknown target.
Photo Courtesy of James Traylor. https://photos.384thbombgroup.com/picture.php?/21763/category/LeadCrews
Shot down 26 November 1943 in B-17 42-5051 'Barrel House Bessie'. Plane ditched in North Sea, off UK. Returned to base. Later became Commanding Officer of the 482nd BG .
Awards : Silver Star / Purple Heart / Distinguished Flying Cross / Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735632
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20243890 at enlistment, then O-683297
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37300035
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 2023rd Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon
- Service Numbers: 32424264
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Gallatin, Tennessee | 17 September 1918 | Tennessee |
Enlisted |
30 July 1940 | as an Aviation Cadet in the Air Corps, at Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Georgia | |
Other rescued after ditching |
26 November 1943 | of B-17 42-5051, in the North Sea |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entrios to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=4895;
- MACR 1579;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Whos Who in the Eighth Air Force and/or Biographical Directory Command & Staff Officers Eighth Air Force 1942-45/MACR 1579, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=…