William Cory Quaintance
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Added photo
Object Number - UPL 20545 - William C. Quaintance - 1943 (courtesy of Quaintance family via Jerry Zak)
Bill Quaintance attended the Boulder High School where he was captain of the basketball and football teams. He studied at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana and the University of Washington. He enlisted in the Air Corps in May 1942 and in August started classes at the USAAF Classification Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
He graduated as an officer from class 43-D at Freeman AAF, Seymour, Indiana on 29 April 1943. In mid-October 1943, he flew from Geiger Filed, Spokane, Washington to Grand Island, Nebraska and from there, to England, assigned as a B-17 pilot in the 306th Bomb Group / 369th Bomb Squadron. Bill Quaintance flew on 17 missions, the last one on 22 February 1944, when he was Killed In Action in the loss of B-17 # 42-31695.
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: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33551808
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31158525
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17128889
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34201982 and O-632869
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13056724 and O-739471
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
Missions
- Date: 22 February 1944
- Date: 21 February 1944
- Date: 20 February 1944
![A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress on the 4 February 1944. Passed for publication 12 Feb 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '4-2-44.' Printed caption removed from reverse. Censor no: 304545. On reverse: Associated Press, 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-413520.jpg.webp?itok=8ZB41rSN)
- Date: 11 February 1944
- Date: 8 February 1944
Places
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Montana, United States | 10 August 1921 | In Helena, Montana, the son of Abel Cory and May A. Quaintance |
|
Enlisted |
Missoula, Montana, United States | 14 May 1942 | as a Private in the Air Corps |
|
Other Killed In Action (KIA) |
near Kirchen, Germany | 22 February 1944 | in the loss of B-17 # 42-31695 |
|
Buried |
Kirchen, Germany | 14 March 1944 | found and identified weeks after the crash, his remains were first buried at the Kirchen/Siegen cemetery |
| Boulder, Jefferson County, Montana, United States | |||
|
Buried |
Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota | Repatriated to the US, he rests in Minnesota in a common grave with Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Joseph Strukel |
Revisions
Added Air Medal awards from page 848 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/143803461
MACR 2652
NARA WWII Enlistment records
US Census 1940
Data from research made on the crew of 42-31695 by Jerry Zak, nephew of Engineer Joseph Strukel (KIA)
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2652 / MACR 2652, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
