384th 2025 REUNION
INFORMATION PAGE⇗

Henson, William Alvin, II

Individual Personnel Data
Name Henson, William Alvin, II   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-761431   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #85 dated 6 May 1944, effective 6 May 1944.
Duty Bombardier / Navigator
MOS1035 - Bombardier
Last Duty Date 28 September 1944
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Eastview Cemetery, Conyers, Georgia
DecorationsDistinguished Flying Cross (Posthumous)
Air Medal and three oak leaf clusters
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 8 June 1923
  • Graduated from Bombardier School at Victorville AAF, Victorville, California, Class #43-17, 4 December 1943.
  • Appointed First Lieutenant, AUS effective 28 August 1944 per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 4 September 1944.
  • Placed on seven (7) days Temporary Duty at Moulsford Manor, AAF Station 511 (a Flak House) on 28 September 1944 to carry out the orders of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #190 dated 26 September 1944.
  • So much of paragraph 9, SSO 190 this station as pertains to 1ST LT WILLIAM A. HENSON II is rescinded and 2ND LT EDWARD G. JACOBS is substituted therefor per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #192 dated 29 September 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 9753⇓ (23.666 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
Capt. Sammons, Gerald Busby, "Jerry"⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Pryor, Oliver McCoy⇗Co-pilotINT
2nd Lt. Dashev, Jack Saul⇗NavigatorINT
2nd Lt. Henson, William Alvin, IIBombardierKIA
S/SGT. Feyerabend, Lawrence Lenard⇗Radio Operator / GunnerINT
S/SGT. Thompson, Arthur Edward⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerTBD
SGT. Placer, James Jackson⇗Ball Turret GunnerTR
SGT. Schwartz, Stanley (NMI)⇗Tail GunnerINT
SGT. Kilpatrick, Redin Robert⇗Flexible GunnerINT
SGT. Schneider, Walter Joseph⇗Flexible GunnerINT
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 26 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
109⇗ 19 May 1944 Target: Unidentified Industrial Area
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑102459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report⇗
111⇗ 21 May 1944 Target: NOBALL (Supergun Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Mimoyecques, France 		Bombardier 42‑97188⇗ Group B.
Sortie Report⇗
116⇗ 27 May 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑31484⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
119⇗ 29 May 1944 Target: Focke-Wulf Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Krzesiny District, Poznań, Poland 		Bombardier 42‑102661⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
126⇗ 5 June 1944 Target: Field Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: La Fosse, France 		Bombardier 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
128⇗ 6 June 1944 Target: Two Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Caen, France 		Bombardier 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
L Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
130⇗ 7 June 1944 Target: Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: Condé-sur-Noireau, France 		Bombardier 42‑97320⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
134⇗ 13 June 1944 Target: Dreux Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux, France 		Bombardier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
135⇗ 14 June 1944 Target: Coulommiers Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Coulommiers, France 		Bombardier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Wing, Low Group, Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
136⇗ 15 June 1944 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: La Possonnièrre, France 		Bombardier 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, High Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
142⇗ 21 June 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Industrial Area
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Bombardier 42‑97282⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
162⇗ 20 July 1944 Target: Aircraft Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Dessau, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
163⇗ 21 July 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Schwäbisch Hall, Germany 		Navigator 42‑37982⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Lead group. Turned back over England because he could not locate formation after taking off late - navigator had overslept, and in his report stated he had difficulty performing navigation tasks.
Sortie Report⇗
164⇗ 24 July 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: La Chapelle en Juger & Hébécrevon, France 		Navigator 42‑97072⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
170⇗ 3 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury, Flers, Fiefs, France 		Navigator 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
J Group.
Sortie Report⇗
171⇗ 4 August 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde, Germany 		Navigator 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
173⇗ 5 August 1944 Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Langenhagen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
174⇗ 7 August 1944 Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dugny (Paris), France 		Navigator 44‑6141⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
175⇗ 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France 		Navigator 43‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Navigator 43‑37703⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38062⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship. Low group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship. Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
192⇗ 11 September 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf & Merseburg, Germany 		Navigator 43‑38213⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Group Deputy. Hot Camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97824⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Navigator 43‑37822⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Collided with 42‑31222 over target: Wallace Storey related details of the collision in Decker's Memories (2nd edition, page 169). Both ships went down on fire and out of control; no chutes; crashed near Osteringersleben, Germany; MACR 9753.
Sortie Report⇗

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