William Decker Harris

Military

William Harris was Engineer/Top Turret gunner on B-17 #42-39811, shot down on a night leaflet operation to France, 5-6 July 1944. Crashed near Overschie, a suburb of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Missing Air Crew Report – MACR 6988. Prisoner of War (POW)

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 487th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-756169
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16065396
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33688109
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 858th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-762574
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39108011
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Donna Mae
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Officers of the 487th Bomb Group outside the 838th Bomb Squadron operations room.
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

9 May 1924 Maine, United States

Enlisted

5 March 1943 Fort Devens, Massachusetts

Born

Skowhegan, Somerset County, Maine

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Initially evaded but captured near Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Interned at Stalag Luft, Braunau, near Krems, Austria. NARA WWII POW record : “Returned to Military Control 25 May 1945.”  

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 6988
German report KU-2407 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147886912 (NARA)
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 6988 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database