William Leroy Bull
MilitaryFront, from left to right : Pilot Thomas A. Pirtle ; Pirtle’s regular Co-Pilot (name unknown ; was not on board 42-38029 when it went down 8 March 1944 and had been replaced by Lt Paul H. Schlintz for that mission) ; Milton W. Stern, Navigator ; Harry F. Cooper, Bombardier.
(Positions in photo determined after a telephone conversation with James W. Warren 30 December 2016)
Added photo of Lt Thomas A. Pirtle's original crew
After graduation from the Waterford High School, William Bull worked at the General Electric Co plant in Schenectady, NY. He enlisted in February 1943 and followed aerial gunnery training. Sent overseas, he was assigned to the 381st Bomber Group / 532nd Bomber Squadron. He was Tail Gunner on board B-17 # 42-38029 when it was shot down on the 8 March 1944 mission to Berlin-Erkner. Initially evaded with the help of Dutch and Belgian patriots, he and other American airmen, including five others of his crew, were denounced and arrested with members of the Resistance organization. Interned in Liège before he was sent to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross Tychow-Tychowo (Poland). Force-marched from there on 6 February 1945. Walked for 86 days until liberated on 2 May 1945. Flown to France, then to England and repatriated to the United States. The story of his evasion, capture and internment at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fbullwl.html
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34280142 and O-805976
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-813070
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-814431
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14163587
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Waterford, Saratoga County, New York, United States | 25 September 1922 | |
Enlisted |
Albany, New York, United States | 6 February 1943 | |
Other bailed out of B-17 # 42-38029 |
near Laren, Gelderland, The Netherlands | 8 March 1944 | |
Other Evaded capture |
8 March 1944 - 27 May 1944 | Helped by Dutch patriots; crossed River Maas into Belgium; helped by Belgian patriots in Rekem, Hasselt and Liège. Was arrested in Liège 27 May 1944 when the evasion network was denounced by Belgian traitors | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Tychowo, Poland | 27 May 1944 | Interned at the Liège Prison, then at the Citadelle Saint-Léonard, Liège before being sent to the Dulag Luft Interrogation center and ultimately to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross Tychow-Tychowo (Poland) – Nara WWII POW database : “Returned to Military Control 24 May 1945”. |
Died |
St Petersburg, Florida, United States | 28 March 1988 | |
Troy, Rensselaer County, New York, United States | |||
Buried |
Bay Pines National Cemetery, Bay Pines, Florida, United States |
Revisions
381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 3002, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3002 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database