William James Greene
Military
media-49013.jpeg
UPL 49013
William James Greene
Pilot
416th BG - 670th BS - 9th AF
Greene was KIA while flying an F-51 over North Korea in 1951
Pilot
416th BG - 670th BS - 9th AF
Greene was KIA while flying an F-51 over North Korea in 1951
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 670th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38463862
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Irish
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: La France Libre, Miss Laid
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Betty Bear
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Melun, Alsace
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Hampton County, Virginia | 26 August 1921 | |
Other First 416th BG Combat Mission |
Bernay, France | 4 March 1944 | |
Other Final 416th BG Combat Mission |
Munstereifel, Germany | 25 December 1944 | Completed a 65 mission combat tour |
Other Wounded In Action/Purple Heart |
Munstereifel, Germany | 25 December 1944 | The formation was badly hit by flak, with 14 planes suffering category "A" damage, 8 category "AC" damage, and one category "B" damage. This last mentioned plane, piloted by Lt William J. Greene, on his 65th mission, was hit in the right engine on the bomb run. He stayed with the formation, dropping his bombs on the target. By superior flying, despite injuries to his face caused by shattered glass from a broken windshield, he brought the plane back to one of our bases for a successful crash-landing. The plane was washed out. His observer, Lt J.L. Britt, was also wounded in the face by glass. |
Died |
North Korea | 14 August 1951 | USMA Class of June 1943, Major Greene was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter with the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group. On August 14, 1951, while on a combat mission, he was last seen making a run on a target. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on December 31, 1953. |
Other Graduated |
West Point, New York | United States Military Academy | |
Buried |
No Known Grave |