William K Birch

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Assigned to 38FS, 55FG, 8AF USAAF. 10 x missions, credited with a Me109 probable. Failed to Return (FTR) bomber escort mission to Bremen, on return journey whilst letting down through overcast, seen to spin off of formation into a dive and continue straight into the ground, near Wakerly, Northamptonshire, where the aircraft P-38H 42-67077 'Mountain Ayers' exploded. Killed in Action (KIA).



Awards: PH.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

42-67077

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Mountain Ayers
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 38th Fighter Squadron

Places

Lieutenant-Colonel Elwyn G. Righetti of the 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group stands beside his P-51 Mustang, "Katydid". Print signed 'Best of everything your big loud Elwyn', 1944-1945.

Wormingford

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Bures / RAF Wormingford / RFC Wormingford / USAAF Station 159 / Wormingford Landing Ground

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Arizona, USA 13 January 1921 Son of Catherine C Birch. Brother of George, Anna and Mary.

Enlisted

Arizona, USA 14 April 1942

Based

Wormingford 11 April 1943 - 16 December 1943 Assigned to 38FS, 55FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Arras, France 25 November 1943 Me109 destroyed near Arras. 25-Nov-43.

Died

Wakerley, Oakham LE15, UK 16 December 1943 Failed to Return (FTR) bomber escort mission to Bremen, on return journey whilst letting down through overcast, seen to spin off of formation into a dive and continue straight into the ground, near Wakerly, Northamptonshire, where the aircraft P-38H 42-67077 'Mountain Ayers' exploded. Killed in Action (KIA).

Buried

Los Angeles, CA, USA Holy Cross Cemetery Los Angleles California USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://www.station131.co.uk/55th/Pilots/38th%20Pilots/Birch%20William%2…
https://www.fold3.com/page/84807447_william_k%20birch/details/
https://www.fold3.com/image/319296767
https://www.fold3.com/image/204435001/?terms=William%20K%20Birch

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Combat Chronology, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol.  I, p. 424 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list