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O'Leary, William Joseph, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name O'Leary, William Joseph, "Willie, Bill", Jr
Rank Flight Officer / Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-2025071
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #254 dated 23 December 1944, effective 23 December 1944.
Duty Co-pilot / Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date April 1946
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 8 January 1925
  • Ordered to Roke Manor, AAF Station 503 (a Flak house) on 8 March 1945 for seven days temporary duty to carry out instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #51 dated 5 March 1945. Rescinded per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #53 dated 7 March 1945.
  • Ordered to Roke Manor, AAF Station 503 (a Flak house) on 21 March 1945 for seven days temporary duty to carry out instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #58 dated 16 March 1945.
  • Discharged for the convenience of the government and appointed Second Lieutenant, AUS per 547th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 31 May 1945.
  • Transferred from the 547th BS to the 546th BS on Station 195 SO #68 dated 16 October 1945.
  • Granted a seven (7) day leave of absence on or about 21 November 1945 to visit The Martinez Hotel, Cannes, France on AAF Station 195 Special Orders #89 dated 20 November 1945.
  • Placed on SD to Lourdes, France, on Station 195 Special Order# 98 dated 5 December 1945.
  • In O'Leary's own words: 'I'm proud to say that I flew my first Mission as a co-pilot on a B-17 while still 19 years of age. On my 9th Mission, Feb.1, 1945, as a co-pilot on Ruckman's crew, I suffered a damaged ear drum as the result of flying with a very bad cold. I was confined to the Base Hospital for thirteen days, plus a few trips to the Thrapston General Hospital. On February 3rd, 1945, Ruckman's Crew, with a replacement for me, flew a mission to Berlin where our B-17 Stardust sustained major flak damage, and was forced to land on a Russian controlled airfield in Poland. The fate of the Crew was not known for over forty days. When Doc Vivian, 547th Flight Surgeon, cleared me for flight duty, I had no crew or airplane to fly . Captain Shelley, 547th Flight Operations Officer, called and asked if I would like to get some missions in flying as Group Observer in the tail gunner's position in the Group Lead airplane. I flew several missions in that capacity, as well as a replacement for co-pilots on other crews. I completed a total 22 missions. In the interim I was commissioned from F/O, and 'checked-out' as a First Pilot. I participated in the Green Project and other minor projects, before returning to the U.S. on 21 April 1946.'
Photos of this Veteran signing the Wing PanelO'Leary Signing
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Ruckman, George FrancisPilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. O'Leary, William Joseph, Jr, "Willie, Bill"Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Dulac, Albert ArthurNavigatorTBD
Flt. Ofcr. Rivall, Jack WallaceBombardierCT
CPL. Garstak, Jack GeorgeRadio Operator / GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Young, Johnie EarlEngineer / Top Turret GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Swieso, Oril HerbertSpot JammerCT
CPL. Sorenson, Fredrick ATail GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Rice, Alonzo RobertFlexible GunnerFCMEW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 22 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
251 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑97263 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
253 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑97150 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
254 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑38752 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report
255 15 January 1945 Target: Neuburg Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑37843 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
256 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑37843 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
257 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑38757 Combat Mission Credit
One of only three aircraft to land at Grafton Underwood.
Sortie Report
258 21 January 1945 Target: Marshalling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Aschaffenburg, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑38757 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
261 28 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑38757 Combat Mission Credit
Originally assigned to Whitesides; taken by Ruckmman when he scrubbed 44‑6592.
Sortie Report
263 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany
Co-pilot 44‑6592 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
270 21 February 1945 Target: Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Nuremberg / Nürnberg, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑38647 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report
274 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑38630 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report
278 1 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bruchsal, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑38630 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
281 4 March 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot
Type: Military
Location: Ulm, Germany
Co-pilot 42‑97986 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
283 8 March 1945 Target: Oil Refinery - 'Benzol Plant'
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Essen, Germany
Observer 44‑8649 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
284 9 March 1945 Target: Henschel Tank and Locomotive Works
Type: Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany
Observer 44‑8649 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead; PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
288 14 March 1945 Target: Railroad Bridge, Weser River
Type: Transportation
Location: Bad Oeynhausen, Germany
Observer 44‑8649 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead: PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
301 31 March 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany
Co-pilot 43‑37843 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
302 3 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Kiel, Germany
Observer 44‑8541 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
304 5 April 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot
Type: Military
Location: Ingolstadt, Germany
Observer 44‑8541 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
308 10 April 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot Workshop Area
Type: Military
Location: Oranienburg, Germany
Tail Gunner 42‑98027 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 44‑8649. Group lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report
312 16 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Regensburg, Germany
Co-pilot 44‑6898 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report
314 19 April 1945 Target: Railroad Station & Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Elsterwerda, Germany
Observer 44‑8649 Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report

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