William Battersby
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Pilot - 668th BS Operations Officer
416th BG
Object Number - UPL 48176 - Captain William Battersby Pilot - 668th BS Operations Officer 416th BG
Captain Battersby was Operations Officer of the 668th and flew on the mission of 9 May 1944 to the Aershot Marshalling Yard in Belgium. Upon returning from the mission, he took a newly arrived A-20 up for a test flight. The plane, without warning, crashed and exploded on landing at Wethersfield killing Capt. Battersby and PFC Charles W. Coleman, a parachute rigger who had gone up with him for the test. Captain Battersby was described by his fellow airmen as "A proud parent, a superb pilot and an excellent officer."
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37498495
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-747669
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier/Navigator
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Lowell, MA | 19 April 1914 | |
|
Died Kiled in action |
Wethersfield Airfield, UK | 9 March 1944 | Unfortunately, not all men are lost on the fields of battle. Many are lost doing routine things far behind the lines. On the ninth, Captain William Battersby, a veteran of submarine warfare in the Anti-Submarine Command, and holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal, crashed to his death while test-hopping a plane in the vicinity of this Base. He had been one of the main-stays of our offensive, often being chosen to lead a box of planes. With him was Private First Class Charles W. Coleman, a parachute rigger. The accident happened so suddenly that neither man had a chance to bail out. |
|
Buried |
16 July 1948 | Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA Plot Section 12, Site 3472 |
