1st Lt. William Edward Eustace Canfield was born 31st December, 1921 to Julian and Margaret (Little) Canfield at Kingston, New York. His father was a farmer and an architect and draftsman. His mother was a homemaker and later worked in a car dealership. Eustace or “Sonny” as his father called him, attending schools in the Kingston, New York area.

On 14th January, 1942 Canfield enlisted in the Army Air Corps with the dream of becoming a pilot. He graduated from the Columbus Army Flying School in Columbus, Mississippi on November 10, 1942.

19th July 1944 the B-26 piloted by Lt William E Canfield was hit by flak just after bombs away. Left engine caught fire, the plane banked steeply to the left, the left wing broke away and the Marauder went into a spin and crashed. No survivors were reported*.

MACR shows two eye witness reports, both spotted a single chute from the A/C, in fact two crew members survived.

Awards: AM (10 OLC), EAME (2 x Battle Stars), PH.

Service

Events

Event	Location	Date
Born	Kingston, NY	31 December 1921
Son of Julian and Margaret [Little] Canfield.
Enlisted		14 January 1942
Albany, New York
Graduated pilot training	Columbus AAF, MS	1943
Graduated Columbus Army Flying School, Mississippi. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant.
Based	Andrews Field	1944 – 19 July 1944
Assigned to 451BS 322BG, 9AF USAAF.
Died	Loire riverbank	19 July 1944
Failed to Return (FTR) Nantes 19-Jul-44, hit by flak in port engine, wing collapsed, spun in. Crashed left bank of Loire river. KIA MACR 7046
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery	1948
Re-Interred Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia