O'Leary, William Louis

Individual Personnel Data
Name O'Leary, William Louis   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 39125969   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #107 dated 8 June 1944, effective 8 June 1944.
Duty Flexible Gunner / Togglier
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 7 July 1944
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England: Plot C Row 3 Grave 9
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 1 December 1924
  • Perished when his aircraft collided with another of his squadron near Cambridge. In all, 14 of 18 crewmembers aboard the two aircraft died.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #126 dated 1 July 1944.
Related Documents Accident Report # 44-07-07-515⇓ (11.808 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Anderson, Earl Overlade, Jr⇗PilotKIA
2nd Lt. Shreve, Walter Eugene, Jr⇗Co-pilotKIA
2nd Lt. Hartnig, Carl (NMI)⇗NavigatorKIA
2nd Lt. Warren, Lawrence Chester⇗BombardierKIA
S/SGT. Sherman, John Dewey⇗Radio Operator / GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Lloyd, Wilmer Leroy⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerKIA
SGT. Noland, Neal William⇗Ball Turret GunnerKIA
CPL. Hinshaw, Glenn Samuel⇗Tail GunnerTR
SGT. O'Leary, William LouisFlexible GunnerKIA
PVT. Alvarez, Victor Reyes⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 7 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
139⇗ 19 June 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury & Crépy, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report⇗
140⇗ 19 June 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury & Crépy, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group
Sortie Report⇗
141⇗ 20 June 1944 Target: Oil Refineries
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Harburg (Hamburg area), Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group, High Squadron Deputy. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑97521.
Sortie Report⇗
142⇗ 21 June 1944 Target: Friedrichstrasse Industrial Area
Type: Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
144⇗ 22 June 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lille (Fives district), France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑37974⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
149⇗ 30 June 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Montdidier, France 		Togglier 42‑97521⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
151⇗ 6 July 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Coubronne, France 		Togglier 42‑102430⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
153⇗ 7 July 1944 Target: Me-109 Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Togglier 42‑102442⇗ High group, 41st B wing. Collided with 44‑6147 over England due to weather conditions; crashed 8 miles NW Ridgewell at Withersfield, Suffolk, UK.
Sortie Report⇗

Every effort has been expended to ensure all information on this page is complete and accurate.
Please inform webmaster of any discrepancies or omissions by using the button below.