William Gibson Carnahan Jr. was born on September 27, 1918. He was the son of William G. Carnahan Sr. and Laura S. Carnahan. He served with the 338th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group, Heavy, as a Captain and Observer of B-17F #42-29767, nicknamed "Boot Hill," during World War II.

On May 17, 1943, the "Boot Hill" was shot down over Brittany, France, during a bombing mission against German military installations at Lorient. Piloted by 1Lt Louis Lafayette Haltom, the aircraft was among 20 bombers dispatched by the group that morning, departing England at approximately 8:30 a.m. Before reaching the French coast, the bomber encountered mechanical difficulties when the supercharger on its No. 3 engine failed. Despite the malfunction, Haltom continued the mission. During the bombing run, the aircraft was struck by German anti-aircraft fire, damaging its engines and right horizontal stabilizer. Although the crew managed to complete the bombing run, the damaged Flying Fortress began losing speed and altitude, gradually falling behind the main formation. While attempting to return to England, the isolated bomber came under attack from German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters, which inflicted further damage and wounded several crew members. With two engines severely damaged and the aircraft unable to maintain altitude, Haltom realized that reaching the English Channel was no longer possible and ordered his crew to bail out. The surviving airmen parachuted into the countryside of occupied Brittany before the crippled bomber crashed near Kéramprès, approximately four kilometers southeast of Plonévez-du-Faou in the Finistère department of France, at around 12:30 p.m. Of the eleven crew members aboard, two were killed, German forces captured three, and six successfully evaded capture with assistance from local French civilians and Resistance networks.

Cpt Carnahan successfully parachuted from the stricken aircraft but was subsequently captured by German forces and interned at Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Poland. He ended his military service as a Major. He died on April 10, 1961, and is now buried in the Mimosa-Pines South Cemetery, Carlyss, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, USA.

Sources of information: www.findagrave.com, www.rumboogiecrew.com, francecrashes39-45.net