William Wyler
MilitaryImage courtesy of the family of William Wyler
William Wyler was born in Alsace-Lorraine and moved to America as a teenager. He became an Oscar-winning film director. He made three wartime documentaries, the most famous of which is 'The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress' (1944).
The skills of a wide variety of people were called upon to support the strategic bombing campaign. Wyler saw a role for himself in making pictures to support the war effort: ‘People say we should be making escapist pictures today. I say “Why?” This is the hell of a time to escape from reality! We’re in an all-out war – a people’s war – it’s the time to face it. Let’s make propaganda pictures, but make them good.’ During the Second World War he served in the US Army Air Forces, and made films which showed Americans at home what the air war was like. He flew on several missions to make The Memphis Belle. He lost the hearing in one ear while making a film about P-47 fighter-bombers in Italy: Thunderbolt.
Wyler joined the USAAF to ‘see if I could make a film that would help the war effort in some small way.’ He made a film which focussed on the final, 25th mission of one aircraft and crew – Captain Robert Morgan’s B-17 ‘Memphis Belle’. Wyler recalled the difficulty of filming the live action: ‘things happen so fast… Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs coming at you and you would try to get all this on film. You forget that they’re shooting at you at the same time!’ When President Roosevelt saw the finished film, he said to Wyler: ‘This has to be shown, right away. Everywhere.’
His 'short snorter', which is in the form of an engraved cigarette case, lists the five missions he flew with the 'Memphis Belle', part of 324th Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group:
26 February 1943 - Wilhelmshaven
14 April 1943 - Lorient
17 May 1943 - Lorient
19 May 1943 - Kiel
29 May 1943 - St Nazaire
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Other
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-482961
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Photographer
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 29 May 1943
- Date: 19 May 1943
- Date: 17 May 1943
- Date: 26 February 1943
Places
- Site type: USAAF heritage site
- Known as: AAM
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Mulhouse, France | 1 July 1902 | Son of Leopold and Melanie [Auerbach] Wyler. |
Died |
Beverly Hills, CA, USA | 27 July 1981 | Died of Heart attack. |
Buried |
Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale CA | Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale California USA | |
Based |
Bassingbourn | Volunteered to serve as a major in the United States Army Air Forces and directed a pair of documentaries: "The Memphis Belle" and "Thunderbolt!" |
Revisions
NARA file verified Air Medal under G.O. #73, Hqrs. Eighth Air Force, June 7, 1943.
His 'short snorter' which is in the form of a cigarette case, confirms his service number and his rank at the end of the war. It is verified in the National Archives National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) VIP list, 2009 records, which is referenced here: http://www.governmentattic.org/2docs/NPRC_VIP_List_2009.pdf