William Richard Calhoun Jr
Military
USAAF Photo
Object Number - UPL 57094 - William R. Calhoun and Clark Gable, on return from the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium in B-17 41-24635...
Born 10 Nov 1919 Birmingham, AL, BA Degree Stanford Univ.
Promoted to Liutenant Colonel at age 23. Clark Gable pinned his silver oak leaves on him. His aircraft was B-17F 41-24581,' The 8 Ball' 303BG/359BS. LTC William R. Calhoun (P). Mission participation (See Biography events - UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
2Lt 12-Dec-41, Class 41-I, Brooks Field, TX, Original 359BS Pilot, Arrived Molesworth 20-Oct-42 in B-17F 41-24581 'The '8' Ball' 303BG/359BS, Commanding Officer 359BS 6-Mar-43 to 22-Nov-43, Transferred to 41st CBW at Molesworth as Director of Operations and Executive Officer until 23 Dec-44, On 7 Dec 1948, flying as Pilot, ditched a C-54 Transport in the Pacific Ocean and spent 40 hours in a life raft (33 survivors and 4 Killed in Action (KIA)). Retired as a USAF Colonel. Completed his first 25 mission combat tour on 19 Aug 1943 (mission 61). Volunteered for 2nd combat tour. Flew on seven additional credited missions. Last mission on 28 July 1944 (Mission 98). Was awarded two Silver Star Medals. Flew 32 missions.
On 20-Dec-42 CPT Calhoun piloted B-17F 41-24581 'The 8 Ball' to the target at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. The plane suffered damage. Calhoun ordered crew to bale out over England. He and co-pilot Major Eugene Romig crash landed at Bovingdon. All crew members returned.
SS w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ PH/ DFC w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ AM w/ 4 Oak Leaf Cluster
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron 509th Bomb Squadron 510th Bomb Squadron 511th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-021528
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot; Pilot; Group Commanding Officer
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 26 February 1943
- Date: 14 February 1943
- Date: 4 February 1943
- Date: 2 February 1943
- Date: 23 January 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Birmingham, Alabama | 10 November 1919 | |
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA | 1 July 1942 | Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball" 303BG/359BS with the rank of Captain at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. |
|
Other Arrived in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 21 October 1942 | Arrived as the Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS at Molesworth, UK. |
|
Other Mission #1, CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 | Served in the Co-Pilot position on B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK |
|
Other Mission #2, CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
18 November 1942 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK | |
|
Other Mission #3, CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Lorient, France | 22 November 1942 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK |
|
Other Mission #4, CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 23 November 1942 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK |
|
Other Mission #5, CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #6, CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24565, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24565 "Idaho Potato Peeler", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France, but mechaniacl filure forced him to abort the sortie. |
|
Other Mission #7, CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. The aircraft sustained battle damage the pilot, MAJ Romig managed to fly the aircraft back to England. He and MAJ Romig stayed with the aircraft after ordering the rest of the crew to bale out over the English countryside, and the made a crash landing at USAAF Staion Bovington. The aircraft was DBR but both he and MAJ Romig were OK and returned to Molesworth the next day. |
|
Other Mission #8 CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS |
3 January 1943 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanicl failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #9 CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #10 CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Hamm, Germany | 2 February 1943 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #11 CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Osnabrück, Germany | 4 February 1943 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #12 CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS - Recalled |
Hamm, Germany | 14 February 1943 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and weather forced Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #13 CPT William R. Calhoun, w/B-17F 41-24635, 303BG/359BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 26 February 1943 | Served Pilot of B-17F 41-24635 "The '8' Ball II", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
|
Died |
20 March 1991 | ||
|
Buried |
Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum Fort Worth, Tarrant County, TX | 23 March 1991 | Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #13 event per 303BG/website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #12 event per 303BG/website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG/website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG/website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Mar-2016. Made connections to Missions of: 2-Feb-43, 4-Feb-43, 14-Feb-43 and 26-Feb-43 per 303BG website, Gayr Mocnur, Historian, Mission Reports of dates stated: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 19-Dec-2015 . Added Mission #9 event per 303BG/website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Dec-2015 . Added Mission #8 event pwr 303BG/website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43; http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission REport of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015 Added Arrived in Uk event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William R. Calhoun crw page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-calhoun.html
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Willam R. Calhoun crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-359-calhoun.html
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Tail Numbers to "The '8' Ball" citations in the Summary Biography and made connections to missions flown with B-17F 41-24581 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2014. Converted dates in biography to military-style signification; made connections to Place, AIrcraft and Mission for 20-Dec-42 mission within existing website data.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.303rdbg.com/pp-gable3.html# / relative, Who's Who in the Eighth Air Force and/or Biographical Directory Command & Staff Officers Eighth Air Force 1942-45, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol.1 by Bishop and Hey p. 55
![Major William Calhoun of the 303rd Bomb Group climbs into his B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Eight Ball". Passed for publication 18 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Photo Shows:- Major William Calhoun entering his plane "The Eight Ball". He led the raid on Huls, and also flew Captain Clark Gable on his only flight over Germany. SEA July 17th 1943 PN.' On reverse: Planet News Ltd, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407519.jpg.webp?itok=tbtDRfAY)
