William Henry Yaeger Jr

Military
media-46856.jpeg UPL 46856 Major William H Yeager Jr, 389BG

USAAF Photo

Object Number - UPL 46856 - Major William H Yeager Jr, 389BG

William Yaeger was the Commanding Officer of the 567th BS, 389th BG, 8AF USAAF.

William Yaeger was taken as a Prisoner of War while on TDY to 9th Air Force for Ploesti raid (Operation 'Tidal Wave') on 1-Aug-43 in B-24 'Boomerang' 42-40115. He was the Command Pilot.



Awards: SS, AM, PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95260) nicknamed "Lili Marlene" of the 66th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group flies in formation with two comrades. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24 H & B-24 J OF 44th B.G. 66th Sqdn'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15045876 / 0-325990
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 389th Bomb Group 2nd Scouting Force 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-23828
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Bomber Pilot / Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-1699045
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-438441
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Boomerang
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

San Antonio, TX 13 August 1915 Son of William Henry Sr and Adeline [Small] Yaeger.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Bucharest, Romania 1 August 1943 Prisoner of War (POW). Romania.

Died

San Antonio, TX 2 January 1962

Buried

Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery 5 January 1962 Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Other

C/O of 567th Bomb Squadron

1 August 1943 Assigned to 567BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Commanding Officer 567BS.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
Changes
Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) 99.

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) passim.

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Brought in information from a duplicate record. Sources:
User 'bombercommand' referenced the Biographical Dictionary of the 8th Air Force 1942-1945
And:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Who's Who in the Eighth Air Force and/or Biographical Directory Command & Staff Officers Eighth Air Force 1942-45

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM Database.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 159

William Henry Yaeger: Gallery (3 items)