William Morris Adams

Military

Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. 1 x combat mission.

Failed to Return (FTR) Hanover in B-24 42-110107 "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'm" 24-Aug-44; Bialed out of A/C, captured and held overnight at Munster A/D. Marched through Russelsheim after rail journey curtailed by bomb damaged rails. Beaten unconscious by civilians and left for dead on farmers cart in cemetery, escaped, along with Sgt Sidney E Brown, during air raid and re-arrested 4 days later. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 8296



Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

A Pathfinder B-24 Liberator (V2-P+, serial number 42-51691) of the 491st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '491 BG supplying troops at Arnhem, Sept 1944.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 854th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34792548
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 854th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 6980369 / O-820907
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Wham Bam Thank You Mam
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 854th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 24 August 1944

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Schuylkill County, PA 14 August 1925 Son of William Alvin and Althesta [Fetterolf] Adams.

Other

Baled out

40 miles Nth Hanover 24 August 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) Hanover in B-24 42-110107 "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'm" 24-Aug-44; Baled out of A/C, captured and held overnight at Munster A/D. MACR 8296

Other

Beaten by civilians

Russelsheim, Germany 26 August 1944 Dispatched by rail for Oberusel, due to a bombed out rail line, marched on foot through Russelsheim, beaten unconscious by civilian mob 26-Aug-44.

Other

Evaded (EVD)

26 August 1944 - 30 August 1944 Escaped from cemetery during air raid. Evaded capture (EVD). Arrested four days later.

Died

Pennsylvania, USA 8 March 1980

Buried

Heplers Church of God Cemetery Pitman, Schuylkill County, PA 12 March 1980 Heplers Church of God Cemetery Pitman, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Based

North Pickenham 24 August 1944 Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Tychowo, Poland Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft IV.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8296 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database