Submitted by William's youngest Son, Steven W. Pengra

US Army Air Corp Records

Bill entered the US Army Air Force in 1944, attending pilot training in Chico, California. He was deployed to the European Air Campaign. Given the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, Bill was assigned to the Reich Wreckers 306th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. With pilot Lt. Bud Fisher, he flew a B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber plane during 26 combat missions out of the RAF base at Thurleigh north of Bedford, England. Mission locations included Germany, Central Europe and Southern France. His most memorable mission was when his B-17 was heavily damaged by German flak, injuring Lt. Fisher and other members of the crew. Lt. Pengra managed to fly their B-17 back to England with over 300 holes in their aircraft. His final bombing mission was on May 8, 1945. While returning from this mission, all aircrews were notified the war in Europe had ended.
With the end of WWII, some of his crew returned to the States while Lt. Pengra and others stayed behind in England. He was assigned lead pilot of his B-17 plane and he and his crew flew missions with other 306th and 305th B-17’s in a top secret mission. The “Casey Jones Project” had bomber planes taking secret aerial photos of the European and African coastline for future mapping. His final mission was in the summer of 1946 out of Marrakesh French Morocco. Lt. Pengra was awarded the Air Medal with 3 Leaf Clusters, the European African Middle Eastern Bronze Star and the WW-2 Victory Medal. He was the last surviving member of his crew.

Bill entered the US Army Air Force in 1944, attending pilot training in Chico, California. He was deployed to the European Air Campaign. Given the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, Bill was assigned to the Reich Wreckers 306th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. With pilot Lt. Bud Fisher, he flew a B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber plane during 26 combat missions out of the RAF base at Thurleigh north of Bedford, England. Mission locations included Germany, Central Europe and Southern France. His most memorable mission was when his B-17 was heavily damaged by German flak, injuring Lt. Fisher and other members of the crew. Lt. Pengra managed to fly their B-17 back to England with over 300 holes in their aircraft. His final bombing mission was on May 8, 1945. While returning from this mission, all aircrews were notified the war in Europe had ended.
With the end of WWII, some of his crew returned to the States while Lt. Pengra and others stayed behind in England. He was assigned lead pilot of his B-17 plane and he and his crew flew missions with other 306th and 305th B-17’s in a top secret mission. The “Casey Jones Project” had bomber planes taking secret aerial photos of the European and African coastline for future mapping. His final mission was in the summer of 1946 out of Marrakesh French Morocco. Lt. Pengra was awarded the Air Medal with 3 Leaf Clusters, the European African Middle Eastern Bronze Star and the WW-2 Victory Medal. He was the last surviving member of his crew.

306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition, 306th BGA Collection, Russell Strong Index Cards, / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…