William Grover Leek Jr

Military

Assigned to 350BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. Piggy-back co-pilot, Hamburg mission. Shot down 31-Dec-44 in B-17 42-31987. 'The Little Skipper' Prisoner of War (POW).

Refused pilots order to abandon A/C, as order would condemn pilot. Rode the piggybacked bombers to earth, miraculously survived crash along with pilot when lower bomber exploded upon impact and projected 'The Little Skipper' into the air whereupon it landed and ploughed through a building.



Awards: DFC, AM, PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve

100th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (EP-E, serial number 42-31767) nicknamed "Our Gal Sal" of the 100th Bomb Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: 'Our Gal Sal EP-E, 231767 at Mount Farm.'

42-31987

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Shilaylee, The Little Skipper
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron

Missions

A B-17 Flying Fortress (EP-E, serial number 42-31767) nicknamed "Our Gal Sal" of the 100th Bomb Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: 'Our Gal Sal EP-E, 231767 at Mount Farm.'

772

  • Date: 31 December 1944

Places

Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.

Stalag Luft I

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Everson, Washington, USA 16 March 1923

Enlisted

Seattle, WA, USA 25 July 1942

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 31 December 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I.

Other

Crash landed

Kleingärtnerverein Rüstringen e.V., Neuengrodener Weg 50, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany 31 December 1944 Piggy-back co-pilot, Hamburg mission. Shot down 31-Dec-44 in B-17 42-31987. 'The Little Skipper' Prisoner of War (POW).

Died

San Luis Obispo, CA, USA 24 March 1988

Based

Thorpe Abbotts 31 December 1944 Assigned to 350BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF.
Whatcom County, WA, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/46703402
https://www.fold3.com/record/84988672-william-g-leek-jr
https://www.fold3.com/record/72347114-william-g-leek

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 11550 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database