Captain William G. Carnahan, Jr., observer on the B-17 42-29767 “Boothill”, took off from Bristol, UK at 0830 on a bombing mission to the prisoner transit point at the Lorient train station. However, their ball turret went out of commission on the way over due to its oxygen valve freezing open after refilling the oxygen bottle. While the bombing results were good, the plane was hit during its bombing run by flak at 1205. No 3 engine was hit, then No 2. It poured smoke and oil onto the fuselage. Then the stabilizers were hit and they fell out of formation. Joining the following Bomb Group, they flew back over Brest, slowing to 150mph in order to stay together. But Fw-190 fighters came out and harassed them, poking more holes in the fuselage and killing their tail gunner. Dropping out of formation, the pilot ordered the crew to bail out at 1230, about 6 km NW of Spezet. Carnahan bailed out safely, but was captured by the Germans and imprisoned at Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan-Silesia.

William died on April 10, 1961 at the age of 42 and is now buried in the Mimosa-Pines South Cemetery, Carlyss, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, USA.