William J Budai
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
"They have bombed ten different countries." Associated Press photo shows : "The crew of the Flying Fortress, Vagabond King, which has flown over 250,000 miles in combat and bombed targets in ten different countries, including the airfields at Ploesti, Romania. They are (left to right, sitting) : SSgt. David C. Shattles, of Atlanta, GA. Gunner - SSgt. Louis H. Raines, of Chesson, ALA, Gunner - Cpl. Alfred P. Rossi, of Philadelphia, PA, Gunner - (standing) : 2nd Lt. Masco, of Chicago, ILL, Bombardier - 1st Lt. Marvin Mendlesohn, of Rockaway, N.Y. Navigator - 1st Lt. George A. Brinton, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Co-Pilot - Capt. John B. McCormick, of Syracuse, N.Y. Pilot - SSgt. William J. Budai of Toledo, Ohio - and SSgt. Richard W. Weaver, of Scottdale, PENN." Roger Freeman Collection
Punctuation. - Kickapoo
Object Number - FRE 650 - Personnel of the 389th Bomb Group stand atop the engine of a B-24D Liberator, serial number 42-40787, named, Vagabond King. Sitting ( left to right...
SSgt William A. "Bill" Budai was a B-24 ball turret gunner in the 8th Air Force, based at Hethel, U.K. The 8th Air Force was transferred (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa, June or July, 1943, for Operation Tidal Wave over Ploesti, Romania. Despite surviving the dangerous and deadly mission to Ploesti and many other dangerous missions in Europe and the MTO, as well, Sgt. Budai was later shot down on while still a gunner crewman on the B-24D, Vagabond King, 42-40787. He was killed when the, Vagabond King, was shot down and crashed into North Sea after a bombing mission over Oslo, Norway. 10 KIA. 18 November 1943. MACR 2885
Staff Sergeant William J. Budai was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1921. He grew up at 324 Craig St. in Toledo, a corner of Craig and Valentine Streets, a Birmingham Hungarian neighborhood. He attended Waite High School as part of the class of 1938, where he played in the school band. Billy went to work as a sweeper at National Milling Co. on Front St. before enlisting in the Army. He enlisted in the Army on Aug. 25,1942, in Toledo. He was assigned as a turret gunner on Lt. John McCormick’s plane, called, Vagabond King. He was a waist gunner on the Ploesti mission. On that mission, the ship was badly damaged by flak and Lt. McCormick headed for a closer alternate base at Nicosia, Cyprus, where the plane landed safely.
Although he had previously survived one of the most dangerous and deadly bombing missions of WWll, and others, as well, Sgt. Budai's luck ran out when the, Vagabond King, was shot down after a mission over Oslo, Norway, and crashed into the North Sea with, Vagabond King's entire crew killed in action. 10 KIA. 18 November 1943
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-661952
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Vagabond King
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 18 November 1943
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Toledo, Ohio, USA | 5 July 1921 | |
|
Enlisted |
Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A. | 25 August 1942 | |
|
Other War Experiences Related in Journals |
1 August 1943 | Concerning the Ploesti Mission: "The last bombs of Tidal Wave were deposited on the powerhouse and boiler of Steaua Romana by Vagabond King, piloted by John McCormick. Toledoan William J. Budai was a waist gunner on this ship. The ship took a beating from anti-aircraft fire over the target, but they barreled through the smoke and flames. Vagabond King bombed amidst exploding kettles and the crumble and crash of a high smokestack. McCormick thought 'from an esthetic point of view, the best thing was incendiaries flickering up and down in the smoke like fireflies.' Looking back, his tail gunner saw the 45 second delay bombs exploding and commented 'they didn't give us much time for a getaway.' After dropping their bombs and assessing the damage, McCormick remarked that he didn't know whether the crew would make it back. 'Our plane was in bad shape. We got into formation at the treetops with another wounded ship and three good ones that stayed outside to protect us, and got a heading into Cyprus'." Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016). | |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
North Sea | 18 November 1943 | SSgt Bill Budai was in Lt. John McCormick's crew on, Vagabond King, when it was shot down by either friendly fire or FW-109 fighter planes over Oslo, Norway, with all crewmen killed in action. 10 KIA. 18 Nov 1943. MACR 2885 |
Revisions
Dan Masters - "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell" - Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave - August 1, 1943, - Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 October 6, 2016.
Richard Dieterle, adding more material from Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016).
Richard Dieterle, expanding slightly on the summary biography based on data already entered.
Richard Dieterle, adding more material from Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016).
submitted by Beth Wood for Alex and Esther Budai in remembrance of their beloved son
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2885 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database