William C Balentine

Military

Radio operator, Painter crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #42-30140 'King Malfunction II'. Mission #20 "Black Tuesday" to the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany. MACR 379. Prisoner of War (POW).

South Carolina



Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-734658
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37268430
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-736866
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37198577
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31106416
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer

Aircraft

A crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (VE-N, serial number 42-30020) of the 532nd Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group, 6 September 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '1. 9/6/43 photo.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sweet Eloise
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: King Malfunction II
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Prisoner of War

Germany 17 August 1943

Born

Revisions

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 379 / MACR 379, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey pp. 145,-242-3 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database