William Powell

Military
media-35811.jpeg UPL 35811 The "Hustlin'Hussy" crew in May 1944. Standing, from left to right : Arthur Pacha, engineer; Allen Patterson, Right Waist Gunner; Elmore Loveland, Tail Gunner; William Williams, Left Waist Gunner; Robert Piarote, Radio Operator; Leo Reynolds, Ball Turret Gunner.
In front, from left to right : Ralph Palmer, pilot; Ryal Skaggs, Co-Pilot; William Powell, Navigator; Frank Wieczerzak, Bombardier. (Photo via the Robert Piarote family)

Removed associations not depicted in photo

Object Number - UPL 35811 - The "Hustlin'Hussy" crew in May 1944. Standing, from left to right : Arthur Pacha, engineer; Allen Patterson, Right Waist Gunner; Elmore Loveland,...

Shot down by fighters after dropping out of formation due to an engine failure on return from mission to Frankfurt on 29 January 1944 in B-17 #42-30354 'Hustlin' Hussy'. Evaded / Prisoner of War (POW). See the full story of his evasion and capture at http://www.evasioncomete.be/fpowellwi.html

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39274861
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31171364
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13093716
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hustlin Hussy
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Konzentrationslager Buchenwald

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

9 January 1917 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Enlisted

26 September 1942 Hartford, Connecticut

Other

Bailed out

29 January 1944 of B-17 42-30354 over Belgium; landed near Lobbes, Hainaut, Belgium

Other

Evaded capture then made prisoner

29 January 1944 - 3 August 1944 Helped by Belgian and French citizens and Résistance members, he managed to evade capture. Guided to France, he was arrested by the Gestapo in Paris on 3 August 1944, denounced by a French doctor, collaborating with the nazis.

Other

Prisoner of War

3 August 1944 Was detained at the Fresnes Prison near Paris; sent by train to the Buchenwald concentration camp; transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Poland; force-marched from there to Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. Liberated there by US troops on 29 April 1945. NARA WWII POW records: "Returned to Allied Military Control 29 May 1945."

Died

5 August 1997 Bella Vista, Arkansas
Waterbury, Connecticut

Buried

William Powell rests at the Fayetteville National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Updated website address in Bio

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 2268
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2268 / MACR 2268, 8th AF Losses / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

William Powell: Gallery (1 items)