William Amos Whitcomb
MilitaryAssigned to 334BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. Bill Thomas crew. 23 x combat missions.
7-Apr-43, B-17 42-3090 'Taint-a-bird' force landed near Clonakilty, County Cork Ireland. Crew was safe. RTD
B-17 42-3267 ditched in Bay of Biscay out of fuel 28-Jun-43. All on board returned. RTD
Shot down 29-Nov-43 in B-17 42-6039 'Wildfire', Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1560
Awards: AM (OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-733713
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-791163
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wilder Nell II
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 334th Bomb Squadron 525th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hell-n-Back
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: T'aint A Bird
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 2 334th Bomb Squadron 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Harley Charley
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 28 July 1943
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Mecosta, MI | 4 February 1915 | Son of Lena Whitcomb. |
Enlisted |
Kalamazoo, MI | 20 June 1942 | Kalamazoo, Michigan |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Krems an der Donau, Austria | 29 November 1943 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag XVIIb. |
Other Baled out POW |
SE of Friesoythe, Germany | 29 November 1943 | Shot down 29-Nov-43 in B-17 42-6039 'Wildfire', Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1560 |
Died |
27 June 1966 | ||
Buried |
Maple Hill Cemetery Charlotte, Eaton County, MI | Maple Hill Cemetery Charlotte, Eaton County, Michigan | |
Based |
Horham | 29 November 1943 | Assigned to 334BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1560 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Roll of Honor; MACR 1560, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 101, 169, 391