William Henry Beeson

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

William was an architect when he joined the AF a few months before Pearl Harbor. He was an accomplished musician. He performed the role of navigator and bombardier in B-24s and B-17s.

His plane (Blue Streak B17) was shot down over Merseburg, Germany on November 2, 1944. The plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire at bomb release and exploded killing all crew.



He had finished his tour of 25 missions, but remained and was KIA on his 31st mission over Merseburg, Germany. (There is an AF photo of his plane - B-17 #43-37883 'Blue Streak' exploding at or just before bomb release).

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

A diagrammatic layout of AAF Station 174 - the USAAF codename for Sudbury airfield - while the 486th Bomb Group were stationed at the airbase as of the 22 June 1944.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Blue Streak
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 834th Bomb Squadron

Places

Aerial photograph of Sudbury airfield looking south west, the bomb dump is to the upper right of the airfield, 29 February 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC188. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Acton

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Shepherd, Texas, USA 20 August 1917

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Merseburg, Germany 2 November 1944

Buried

Netherlands American Cemetery Plot I Row 8 Grave 21

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated the Buried event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 56296661.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56296661/william-henry-beeson

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Copied the "Summary biography" from a Duplicate person as part of a merge operation of dup people so the dup person can be deleted.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Updated a Buried event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 56296661.
Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56296661/william-henry-beeson

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added birth info to the Born event and cemetery info to the Buried evwnt per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 56296661.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity. Changed Died event label to "KIA".

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Brought in information from duplicate record. Sources:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 10168 / https://www.abmc.gov/node/531053#.WVYTmU2WyM8

Date
ContributorJohn Beeson
Changes
Sources

John Beeson Nephew

Date
ContributorJohn Beeson
Changes
Sources

John D. Beeson - nephew & 8th AF records

Date
ContributorJohn Beeson
Changes
Sources

John D. Beeson - nephew - I have the medals awarded to William.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 10168 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database