Lawrence William H.

Name:

William H. Lawrence

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

36856047

Unit:

862nd Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group

Date of Death:

1944-12-31

State:

Michigan

Cemetery:

Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium

Plot:

B

Row:

19

Grave:

14

Decoration:

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart

Comments:

William H. Lawrence was the son of Frank and June Lawrence. He was raised and educated in Detroit and was living there at the time of his induction into the Army.

William served in the 862nd Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on the B-17 #44-8352 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on December 31, 1944, when his airplane was hit by flak, exploded, and crashed near Hameln, Germany. Seven members of his crew were Killed in Action, while 5 were taken as prisoners.

SSgt Lawrence is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium.

The crew that day was Dick Malone, Stan McKay, John Volpe, Gilbert Sousa, Tom Heilman, Bill Lawrence, Capt Dave Whitlock {mission pilot} (7 Killed in Action); Frank Druehl, George Zackert {ex nav}, Art Donovan, Edgar Stoelting, Bill Gleason {ex nav} (5 Prisoner of War).

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, b17flyingfortress.de, www.abmc.gov