William Rockafeller Beyer
Military
Museum object reference no. BAM_0398 Bottisham Airfield Museum
Associated William R. Beyer by name given in caption
Object Number - UPL 18444 - Capt. William R. Beyer, the second highest scoring ace of the 361st Fighter Group. Beyer claimed five enemy planes destroyed on the Kassel Mission,...
Trained as gunner, joined glider pilot program, and then assigned to Air Cadet training. Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Detached Service with 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron. Re-assigned to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 9 kills, in 87 missions. Completed Tour of Duty (ETD).
2 x ME-109's, 7 x FW-190's. On 29-Sep-44, became the 8AF 4th ace in a day, when he shot down 5 x Fw-190's on mission to Kessel Germany.
Awards: DFC, SS, AM (12OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EAME (3 Bronze star), American Campaign.
Post war: Worked as an instrument mechanic at Merck & Company for 33 years.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Aircraft
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Danville, PA 17821, USA | 5 July 1923 | Son of Carl A and Lorraine H [Rockafeller] Beyer. |
|
Enlisted |
Harrisburg, PA, USA | 21 January 1942 | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
|
Other Crashed |
Napier Field Rd, Dothan, AL 36303, USA | 19 October 1943 | Landing Accident Napier Field, Dothan, AL Cat 3 damage 2Lt William R Beyer, 19-Oct-43. AT-6D 42-44665 432 SEFTS. |
|
Other Transferred |
Bottisham, Cambridge CB25, UK | 9 April 1944 | Transferred to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Reassigned |
Bottisham, Cambridge CB25, UK | 3 July 1944 | Re-assigned to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Promotion |
Bottisham, Cambridge CB25, UK | 15 November 1944 | Promoted to Captain. |
|
Died |
Danville, PA 17821, USA | 15 August 2016 | |
|
Buried |
Odd Fellows Cemetery Danville Montour County PA | 18 August 2016 | Odd Fellows Cemetery Danville Montour County Pennsylvania USA |
|
Other Detached Service (DS) |
Boxted, Colchester, UK | Detached Service with 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron. | |
|
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD) |
England, UK | Completed Tour of Duty (ETD). | |
|
Other Promotion |
Bottisham, Cambridge CB25, UK | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. | |
|
Based |
Atcham | 9 April 1944 | Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. |
| Pennsylvania, USA |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- Fighter Aces of the U. S. A. and Mustang Aces of the Eighth Air Force
