William Winston Saunders

Military

William Saunders was on his 13th mission when he was shot down 5 April 1943 in B-17 #41-24465 'Montana Power' - Robert W. Seelos crew. Hit by flak and then fighters on a mission to the ERLA works in Antwerp, Belgium. Parachuted into Wuustwezel, near Kalmthout where the plane crashed. Immediately captured, he was Prisoner of War (POW) and interned at Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan, Poland.

Saunders graduated from Oklahoma University in 1947 and completed a doctorate in psychology in 1953.

Connections

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

Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34258894
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14071743
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16022965
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Lieutenant Alexander Kramarinko of the 303rd Bomb Group with the engine of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: '"Good Old Chi-Town". Lt. Alexander Kramarinko of the Air Corps used to be in the Swiss Dairy Bar at Haywood, Illinois. He lived with his parents at 1931 Potomac Avenue, Chicago andhis fieancee is Miss Jean Neuman at 323 Tremont Ave. Kenmore, N.Y. His very inclusive message is "Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to Good old Chi-Town." O.P.S. sho
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16035409 and O-661851
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39826025
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Montana Power
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Carthage, Missouri 14 March 1920

Enlisted

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States 7 January 1942 as an Aviation Cadet in the Air Corps

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Żagań / Sagan, Poland 5 April 1943 Interned at Stalag Luft 3. NARA WWII POW database : “Returned to Alled Military control 07/06/1945“

Died

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States 14 May 1997

Buried

Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Washington County, Oklahoma, United States
Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States

Revisions

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

306th Echoes July '97

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 15534
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
Research on plane and crew for website www.evasioncomete.org

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition; MACR 15533, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 99-100, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp. 81-82, NARA / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15533 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database