William B Smith
Military ROLL OF HONOUR'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group' by Frank Speer.
Captain Smith was from Bluefield, Virginia. He was assigned to the 4th Fighter Group, 334th Squadron on 23 May 1943. He downed various enemy aircraft one at a time over a period of several months. He completed a tour, returning to the States on leave 2 June 1944. Returning to combat on 17 August on his second tour, he downed another enemy aircraft. On 13 September, while strafing an aerodrome near Ulm, Germany, his engine was hit by flak. He was able to pull up to 400 feet, but rolled over and dove into the ground, exploding upon impact.
He had destroyed 7-1/4 enemy aircraft and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf cluster and the Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Bluefield, VA, USA | 20 July 1914 | |
Other Assigned |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 23 May 1943 - 13 September 1944 | Assigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. |
Other Promoted |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 15 November 1943 | Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. |
Other Promoted |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 21 December 1943 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
Other Promoted |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 1 May 1944 | Promoted to Captain. |
Other 1st tour expired |
United States | 2 June 1944 - 17 August 1944 | 1st tour completed, Stateside on leave. Returned for 2nd tour. |
Died |
Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany | 13 September 1944 | While strafing an aerodrome near Ulm, Germany, his engine was hit by flak. He was able to pull up to 400 feet, but rolled over and dove into the ground, exploding upon impact. KIA. MACR 8989. |
Bluefield, WV, USA | |||
Buried |
Tablets of the missing. Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial. | ||
Buried |
Tazewell County, VA, USA | Memorialised Maple Hill Cemetery Bluefield Tazewell County Virginia, USA. |
Revisions
Personal research & 'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group' by Frank Speer.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8989 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list