Monuments
Leiston Airfield (Station 373) and 357th & 358th Fighter Group Memorial
357th Fighter Group Roll of Honor
William R. McGinley resided in Santa Barbara County, California prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on April 22, 1942, at Santa Maria Army Air Force Base, California. He was noted at the time of his enlistment as being employed as an Accountant and auditor; and also as Single, without dependents.
William served as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of the P-51-B "Typhoon McGoon" #43-6628, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He was declared "Missing In Action" when, after taking off on a bomber escort mission to Brunswick, Germany, he was climbing through the overcast weather about twenty miles east of the base and; was involved in a mid-air collision with the P-51 #43-7052 aircraft piloted by 2nd Lt. Santiago R. Gutierrez. Both pilots are commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com