William Ralph “Bill” Faria was born at Hayward, Alameda County, California on January 3, 1923. His parents were Ralph Faria (5 Feb 1886 – 27 Jun 1960), who was born at Faial Island, Azores, Portugal, and immigrated to America about 1907; and Maude (Marciel) Faria (15 Dec 1897 – 31 Jan 1989), who was born at Hayward, Alameda County, California. His parents married about 1915. He had a sister, Alice Dorris Faria (8 Sep 1925 – unk), who was born at Alameda County, California. His family moved to the area of Cupertino, Santa Clara County, California in 1925. In 1930 the family lived on Stelling Road in Saratoga Township, Santa Clara County, California, and his father was foreman of an orchard. By 1935 the family lived on Regnart Road in Saratoga Township. In 1942 the family home was on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road in Saratoga Township, and his father was employed at a fruit farm owned by Mr. Daniel F. Regan on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. His parents' wartime mailing address was P.O. Box 86, Cupertino, Santa Clara County, California.
He attended Cupertino Union Grammar School and Fremont Union High School, where he was class president and graduated with honors on June 13, 1941. In September 1941 he entered San Jose State College at San Jose, California, where he studied Industrial Engineering. On April 6, 1943, during his sophomore year at San Jose, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at Sheppard Field, Wichita Falls, Texas. He completed Army Air Forces bombardier training in Class 44-6 at Victorville Army Air Field, Victorville, California, and received his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant on April 29, 1944. After commissioning, he was initially scheduled for special training as a meteorologist, but the needs of the Air Corps dictated a change.
He was assigned as bombardier on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Joseph I. Herring in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. This Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The Herring crew arrived at Station 137 by September 25, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
Lt Faria and one of his crewmates were killed in action on November 9, 1944, when their aircraft, B-17G 44-6290, was shot down by flak after bombs away over the railroad marshalling yards at Saarbrucken, Germany. He and the bombardier, Lt Leonesio, were unable to bail out before the aircraft exploded in the air. Their bodies were found in the nose section of the aircraft, which crashed 500 meters northwest of Illingen, 10 kilometers northwest of Neunkirchen. He and Lt Leonesio were buried in the cemetery at Wemmetsweiler/Saar. After the war their remains were reinterred at Lorraine American Cemetery in Saint-Avold, France.
Lt Faria is said to be the first casualty from Cupertino, California during World War II. William Faria Elementary School in Cupertino was named in his honor in 1965.
B-17G 44-6290 crew:
• Herring, Joseph I – 2/Lt – Pilot – POW
• Meyer, Richard J – 2/Lt – Copilot – POW
• Leonesio, John B – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Faria, William R – 2/Lt – Bombardier – KIA
• Fitzhugh, Elda M – S/Sgt – Engineer – POW
• Brown Jr, Charles – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – POW
• Heintz, Daniel J – Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – POW
• Crawford, Francis P – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – POW
• Hartman, Edward A – Sgt – Tail Gunner – POW
Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov