William Prochaska
Military
Rear L-R: William Prochaska (B), William K Thomas (P), James B Stapleton (CP), Collis Haynes (N).
Front L-R: William Whitcomb (TG), Floyd Thompson (BTG), Rex Neely (TTG), Guy Tice (WG),
Object Number - UPL 51414 - Bill Thomas crew, 334BS, 95BG. Rear L-R: William Prochaska (B), William K Thomas (P), James B Stapleton (CP), Collis Haynes (N). Front L-R:...
Assigned to 334BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 23 x combat missions.
7-Apr-43, B-17 42-3090 'Taint-a-bird' force landed near Clonakilty, County Cork Ireland. Crew was safe. RTD
B-17 42-3267 ditched in Bay of Biscay out of fuel 28-Jun-43. All on board returned. WIA.
8-Oct-43 B-17 42-30342 'Miss Flower III' Returned to base. RTD
Shot down 14-Oct-43 in B-17 42-30135 'Trouble Shooter'. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 855
Awards: AM (OLC), PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-791163
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wilder Nell II
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 334th Bomb Squadron 525th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Trouble Shooter
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: T'aint A Bird II
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 334th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: T'aint A Bird
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 2 334th Bomb Squadron 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Harley Charley
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Parma, Ohio, USA | 18 February 1916 | Cuyahoga County, Ohio |
|
Enlisted |
Cleveland, OH | 24 March 1942 | Cleveland, Ohio |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Moosburg, Germany | 14 October 1943 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag VIIa Moosburg then moved to work camps ending in the Munich area. |
|
Died |
Florida | 15 July 1981 | |
|
Buried |
Pinecrest Cemetery Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, FL | 18 July 1981 | Pinecrest Cemetery Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, Florida |
|
Based |
Horham | 14 October 1943 | Assigned to 334BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 855 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Roll of Honor; MACR 855, , Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 101, 169, 339 April 7, 1943, B17 42-3090 'Taint-a-bird' force landed near Clonakilty, County Cork Ireland. Crew was safe. B-17 #42-3267 ditched in Bay of Biscay out of
