William Elmer Bryan | American Air Museum

Nationality: American
Nickname: Bill
Service Number: 16057222 / O-736974
Highest Rank: Major General
Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Awards: Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters (2 silver oak leaf clusters) Air Medal with 13 oak leaf clusters (2 silver, 3 bronze) Bronze Star Distinguished Flying Cross with 4 oak leaf clusters Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Korean Service Medal Legion of Merit United Nations Service Medal World War II Victory Medal Croix de Guerre (French)

William Elmer Bryan Jr

Military

Object Number - UPL 29418 - Major William E “Bill” Bryan Jr [ Flint MI ] 503rd Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-15074 D7-J/ “Big Noise”.

Assigned to 503FS, 339FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended 2 x Tours of Duty (ETD). 114 x combat missions. Credited with 8.5 kills.

Awards: DSC, DSM, DFC (4OLC), AM (23OLC), LOM, Bronze Star, WWII Victory, EAME, Croix de Guerre, UN and Korean Medal.

Post war: Remained in USAF serving in Korean war flying 121 x combat missions in F-51's, flew a mission from Thailand to North Vietnam. Thus he would declare that he flew fighters in three wars. Rose to rank of Major General.

Connections

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Units served with

339th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

503rd Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

Aircraft

42-106798

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

44-13601

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

44-15074

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Nicknames: Big Noise
Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

44-72485

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

Places

Fowlmere

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Genesee County, MI, USA	5 October 1921	Son of William Elmer and Mabel Alta [Willett] Bryan.
Enlisted	Flint, MI, USA	27 March 1942
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD)	England, UK	1 September 1944	Ended Tour of Duty (ETD) 1.
Other Promotion	Fowlmere, Royston SG8, UK	26 February 1945	Promoted to Major.
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD)	England, UK	7 September 1945	Ended Tour of Duty (ETD) 2.
Other Retired	United States	1 June 1974	Retired USAF 1-Jun-74.
Died	Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA	6 April 2008
Other Promotion	Fowlmere, Royston SG8, UK		Promoted to 1st Lieutenant.
Based Transferred	Fowlmere	7 September 1945	Assigned to 503FS, 339FG, 8AF USAAF.
	Flint, MI, USA
Other Promotion	Fowlmere, Royston SG8, UK		Promoted to Captain.
Buried