William B Smith

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-13589.jpeg UPL 13589 Captain William B. Smith.

'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group' by Frank Speer.

Object Number - UPL 13589 - Captain William B. Smith.

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

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Little Butch
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron

Places

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

Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

Personal research & 'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group' by Frank Speer.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

William B Smith: Gallery (3 items)