Wilbur Western Seller Jr
Military
Rear L-R: S/Sgt Daniel F Terzio, 2Lt Rinaldo A Carmazzi, 1Lt Wilbur W "Pete" Seller, 2Lt Erwin N Ridge, S/Sgt Roy F Person.
Front L-R: T/Sgt Alexander Szczepanek, T/Sgt James Edward McCoy, S/Sgt Bernard J O'Brien, Sgt Sune Engelbrektson.
Object Number - UPL 35105 - "Combat crew of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Ragged But Right", England." Rear L-R: S/Sgt Daniel F...
Assigned to 401BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). Transferred to HQ Sqn, 67FW, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.
Awards: DFC, AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Post war: Remained in USAF post conflict flying both jet bombers and latterly jet fighters, joined AF Flight Test Centre. Killed in flying accident in F-94B Starfire 51-5324 during wingtip fuel tank tests.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
![Three P-51 Mustangs of the 369th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group fly together in formation. The aircraft foreground to background are: (IV-P, serial number 44-14543) nicknamed "Precious Pat", piloted by Lieutenant Ralston; (IV-Z, serial number 44-15007) piloted by Lieutenant Klem; and (IV-D, serial number 44-15394). First handwritten caption on reverse: 'November 15 1944- 369th FS Lts. Ralston (P), Klem (Z), [illegible] (D).' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '15/11/44 369th Fighter Squadron, 3](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377226.jpg.webp?itok=RQw6Mu-P)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
![Personnel of the 364th Fighter Group stand in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 303rd Bomb Group at Honington in 1945. Printed caption on reverse: '71620 AC- Colgate Relay Crew of the 364th Fighter Group, 67th Fighter Wing at 8th AFS F-375, Honnington [sic], England. 5/7/45. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377253.jpg.webp?itok=lGhT-5tn)
- Unit Hierarchy: Wing
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37683369
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39567635
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Military site
- Known as: Stamford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Terre Haute, IN, USA | 11 March 1921 | Son of Wilbur Western Snr and Edith C [Zaring] Seller. |
|
Enlisted |
Evansville, IN, USA | 6 November 1942 | |
|
Other Force landed |
Denain, France | 14 January 1945 | Cologne mission, battle damaged in B-17 42-97851 'Qualified Quail', force landed Denain Airfield/A-83, France 14-Jan-45. |
|
Other Crashed - Structural Failure |
17 May 1950 | Structural Failure Cat 3 damage Seller, Wilbur W. Jr USA CA Edwards AFB EB-45A 47-0012 - 3077EG | |
|
Other Crashed - Mechanical Failure |
Rosamond, CA, USA | 31 July 1950 | Mechanical Failure 7 Miles NE Rosamond, CA Cat 2 damage Maj Wilbur W Seller Jr, 31-Jul-50. B-45C 48-0005 - HQ SQN 3077EG |
|
Other Crashed - Mechanical Failure |
Edwards AFB, CA, USA | 15 February 1951 | Landing Accident due to Mechanical Failure Edwards AFB CA Cat 3 damage Maj Wilbur W Seller Jr, 15-Feb-51. F-89A 49-2438 - HQSQN 3077EG |
|
Died |
El Mirage Lake, California 92301, USA | 23 August 1951 | Fatal crash, Crashed in spin 20 miles NW of Victorville, near El Mirage Dry Lake, during wingtip fuel tank test in F-94B 51-5324. F-94B 51-5324 - HQSQN AFFTC ARDC |
|
Buried |
2181 Cemetery Rd, Greencastle, IN 46135, USA | Forest Hill Cemetery Greencastle, Putnam County, IN | |
|
Based |
Assigned to 401BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. | ||
|
Based |
Re-assigned to HQ Sqn, 67FW, 8AF USAAF. | ||
|
Based |
Transferred to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. | ||
|
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD) |
Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/record/89149126-wilbur-w-seller-jr
https://www.fold3.com/image/317316094
https://www.fold3.com/image/32146943?terms=Wilbur%20W%20Seller
https://www.fold3.com/image/211230841?terms=Wilbur%20W%20Seller
359th Fighter Group, 1943-1945 By Thomas H. Raines
http://www.91stbombgroup.com/photo_history/qualified_quail_crash_landing...
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Seller%2C+Wilbur…
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&tf=F&q=Sel…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23123222/wilbur-w.-seller
https://www.fold3.com/record/89149126-wilbur-w-seller-jr
https://www.fold3.com/image/317316094
https://www.fold3.com/image/32146943?terms=Wilbur%20W%20Seller
https://www.fold3.com/image/211230841?terms=Wilbur%20W%20Seller
359th Fighter Group, 1943-1945 By Thomas H. Raines
http://www.91stbombgroup.com/photo_history/qualified_quail_crash_landin…
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Seller%2C+Wilbur…
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&tf=F&q=Sel…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23123222/wilbur-w.-seller
