William Douglas Whitaker
MilitaryBack L-R: S/Sg.t Norman Bergsma (Radio), S/Sg.t Leroy D. Kucharski (Gunner), T/Sgt. Cornelius P. Harrington (Engineer), S/Sgt. Arnold Money (Gunner), S/Sgt. Steve Kernitz (Gunner).
Front L-R: 2nd Lt. William D. Whitaker (Bombardier), 1st Lt. Herbert H. Newman (Pilot), 2nd Lt. William L. Frankhouser (Navigator), 2nd Lt. Paul G. Deininger (Co-Pilot).
Sourced from the 398th.org archive photos.
Assigned to 603BS, 398BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Merseburg 2-Nov-44; Shot down in B-17 42-102562 'Knockout', Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 10157
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 398th Bomb Group 603rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-1291318
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Enlisted |
Los Angeles, CA | 16 February 1943 | Los Angeles, California |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 2 November 1944 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III. |
Other Baled out POW |
Merseburg, Germany | 2 November 1944 | Failed to Return (FTR) Merseburg 2-Nov-44; Shot down in B-17 42-102562 'Knockout'. |
Born |
Columbia, TN | Son of Dora C Whitaker. | |
Maywood, CA | |||
Based |
Nuthampstead | 2 November 1944 | Assigned to 603BS, 398BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/record/85075059/william-d-whitaker-wwii-army-enli…
Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency.
Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 10157 / MACR 10157; Fortresses Over Nuthampstead, pg 39 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database