Devenney William J.

Name:

William J. Devenney

Rank:

Sergeant

Serial Number:

33367015

Unit:

3rd Replacement and Training Squadron

Date of Death:

1944-04-10

State:

Pennsylvania

Cemetery:

Cambridge American Cemetery, United Kingdom

Plot:

D

Row:

2

Grave:

100

Decoration:

Comments:

William J. Devenney was born on February 17, 1922, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. He worked as a brakeman for the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey on the Lehigh & Susquehanna Division lines before entering the service. On 9th December 1942, he enlisted for service as a Private in the Air Corps in Allentown, PA. After initial training at home, he shipped out to No. 3 Combat Crew Replacement Centre Group at Toome, Co. Antrim in Northern Ireland for final training before posting to a combat unit. They came under command of 8th Air Force Composite Command at Kircassock House, Magheralin, Co. Down.

On April 10, 1944, at 1445hrs three B26 Marauders took off from Toome on a Gunnery Training Mission. 2nd Lt Richard A. Newman flew the lead plane No. 025. The right wingman flying aircraft No. 054 was 2nd Lt Eugene G. Wegman and the left wingman flying aircraft No. 41-18150 a B26b-4 was 2nd Lt Howell C. Osborne, Jr.

Weather on that day was described as visibility four miles, Stratus clouds at one thousand feet, overcast with breaks, reported haze. At approximately 1530 hrs Lt. Osborne's plane started to lag behind the formation, disappeared into the clouds, and subsequently crashed into Chimney Rock Mountains, Newcastle, North Ireland. All five on board were killed. The crew was buried in the Lisnabreeny Former American Military Cemetery in England. The cemetery closed in 1948 and his remains were exhumed and transferred.

The crew of the B26B-4 #41-18150 were as follows:

2nd Lt Howell C. Osborne Jr (Pilot) ID: 0-685276 (Fort Smith, Arkansas)
2nd Lt Chester M. Turner (Co-Pilot) ID: 0-753462 (Cowley County, Kansas)
Staff Sgt Roy R. Cappe Jr (Aerial Engineer) ID: 13041696 (Allegheny County, Pennsylvania)
Staff Sgt William J. Devenney (Radio Gunner) ID: 33367015 (Carbon County, Pennsylvania)
Sgt Jimmie Gyovai (Engineer Gunner) ID: 15337609 (Boone County, West Virginia)

Sgt Devenney is buried now in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, http://www.chimneyrockb26crash.com