Harry, William Russell

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Harry, William Russell ⇗
Rank	Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number	O-515826
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #42 dated 4 July 1943, effective 4 July 1943.
Duty	Pilot
MOS	1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date	14 October 1943
Results	Prisoner Of War POW Camp: Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12
Decorations	Awarded the Silver Star for 'gallantry in action' during a mission over Germany on 30 July 1943. Awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 30 July 1943. General Order #88, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Wing dated 16 August 1943.
Citation For Higher Decoration	SILVER STAR. WILLIAM RUSSELL HARRY, O-515826, Second Lieutenant, Army Air Forces, United States Army. For gallantry in action, while serving as pilot of a B-17 airplane on a bombing mission over Germany, 30 July 1943. After being forced to drop out of formation, due to lack of oxygen, Lieutenant Harry's plane was subjected to repeated and determined attacks by enemy fighters. Though painfully wounded during the attacks he courageously remained at the controls of his ship and successfully out-maneuvered the attacking planes. It was only by violent evasive action and most skillful flying that Lieutenant Harry was able to bring his airplane back to England, where he accomplished a landing without further injury to any member of the crew. The courage, skill and devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Harry on this occasion reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States. Home address: Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Citation Source: 'As Briefed...'
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 29 May 1921 Granted a seven day sick leave effective on or about 20 August 1943 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #75 dated 19 August 1943. This order was amender to read ten days vice seven per AAF Station Special Orders #82 dated 26 August 1943.
Related Documents	Missing Air Crew Report # 840⇓ (17.474 MB)
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Harry, William Russell	Pilot	POW
2nd Lt. Rice, Ivan Luther⇗	Co-pilot	KIA
2nd Lt. Black, David Hall⇗	Navigator	POW
2nd Lt. Mannka, Charles Pershing⇗	Bombardier	KIA
T/SGT. Simpson, Edward Francis⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	POW
T/SGT. Reed, Curry Allen⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	TR
S/SGT. McKenna, John Conat⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	POW
S/SGT. Parent, Leroy (NMI)⇗	Tail Gunner	POW
CPL. Iverson, Bennie Franklin⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT
S/SGT. Wheeler, Tom Brooks⇗	Flexible Gunner	POW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 11 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
10⇗	25 July 1943	Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard Type: Industry Location: Hamburg, Germany	Pilot	42‑30145⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back 15 miles from English coast because ball turret was inoperative and the RPM on engine #1 dropped to zero. Sortie Report⇗
11⇗	28 July 1943	Target: Aircraft Engine Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany	Pilot	42‑30145⇗	Combat Mission Credit Returned Early Turned back before target with major battle damage. Sortie Report⇗
12⇗	29 July 1943	Target: Naval Base Type: Military Location: Kiel, Germany	Pilot	42‑5051⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back almost immediately because of leak in oxygen system. Sortie Report⇗
13⇗	30 July 1943	Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Kassel, Germany	Pilot	42‑5848⇗	Combat Mission Credit Crash-landed at Boxted, AAF Station 150, on return, with extensive battle damage due to enemy aircraft and flak, with five wounded crewmen aboard. 2nd Lt. William Russell Harry awarded Silver Star (see 'As Briefed' p. 197). Sortie Report⇗
20⇗	3 September 1943	Target: Air Park and Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France	Pilot	42‑29935⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Sortie Report⇗
22⇗	7 September 1943	Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium	Pilot	42‑29935⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
23⇗	9 September 1943	Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Lille-Vendeville, France	Pilot	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
24⇗	16 September 1943	Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River) Type: Transportation Location: Nantes, France	Pilot	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
26⇗	27 September 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Pilot	41‑24560⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 42‑30005. Sortie Report⇗
27⇗	2 October 1943	Target: Port Facilities Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Pilot	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
28⇗	4 October 1943	Type: Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Pilot	42‑30033⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
29⇗	8 October 1943	Target: Workshops Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany	Pilot	42‑5086⇗	Air-sea rescue ship. Remainder of crew not identified. Sortie Report⇗
30⇗	9 October 1943	Target: Aircraft Factories Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Anklam, Germany	Pilot	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
31⇗	10 October 1943	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Münster, Germany	Pilot	42‑30005⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑30196. Sortie Report⇗
32⇗	14 October 1943	Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Pilot	42‑29800⇗	Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return Knocked down by enemy aircraft; crashed near Simmershofen, Germany; MACR 840. Sortie Report⇗

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