William Spencer Grier
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-38263.jpeg
UPL 38263
Gossage crew
Personal records
William Grier was Co-Pilot on board B-17 #42-30259 'Damifino II' on a 24 September 1943 practice flight to test PFF equipment and technique. Intercepted by enemy fighters and shot down. Ditched North Sea. William was among the 5 men killed, 5 were rescued alive by Royal Navy torpedo boats and returned to duty. MACR 778.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17051757
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12046800 at enlistment, then O-673491
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36264332
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31002387 at enlistment, then O-676883
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32391944
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Damifino ii
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 24 September 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Oregon, USA | 28 February 1923 | son of William M. and Auda F. Grier |
Enlisted |
11 April 1942 | as a Private in the Air Corps, in Portland, Oregon | |
Other his dead body was picked up |
24 September 1943 | by a Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boat after the ditching of B-17 #42-30259 in the North Sea | |
Knappton, Washington, USA | |||
Buried |
William Grier rests at Plot E, Row 4, Grave 70 |
Revisions
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 778 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database