William Henry Simpkins Jr

Military

Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #42-29664 'Jersey Bounce Jr'. Plane ditched in Channel. Returned to base. Flew 15 missions. Returned from rocket attack during an operational mission on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17F #42-5264 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'. RTD. Apparently shot down near Koblenz on a mission to Schweinfurt, GR on 24 Feb 1944 in B-17G #42-31562. Prisoner of War (POW) 15 months.



DFC/ PH/ AM/ POW

Connections

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Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jersey Bounce Jr.
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yankee Doodle Dandy
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Hammonton, New Jersey 26 June 1924

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Germany 24 February 1944 - 23 July 1945 Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added Middle Name per MACR 2762 at Fold3.com. Source: https://www.fold3.com/image/28739322

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a location to the POW event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added POW event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, MACR 2762, Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol.  I, p. 425