William Daniel O'Malley Jr. was born on February 28, 1925, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He was the son of William Daniel O'Malley and Pauline C. O'Malley. He was married to Phyllis M. Hall O'Malley. He served in the 602nd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, as a Staff Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner/ Waist Gunner of B-17 #42-97266 nicknamed ''Godfather's Inc'' during World War II.

On April 25, 1945, Godfathers Inc. embarked on its 36th combat mission, targeting the Škoda Armament Works in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia—a significant producer of weapons for the German military. During the bombing run, the aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire (flak), resulting in the failure of engine number two. The damage forced the crew to abandon the aircraft, which ultimately crashed near Litice, close to Pilsen. Two of the eight crew members survived by parachuting out, while the remaining were Killed in Action.

SSgt O'Malley bailed out and was taken prisoner of war in Germany. He died on June 7, 2019, and is now buried in the Windridge Memorial Park and Nature Sanctuary, Cary, McHenry County, Illinois, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.398th.org, www.americanairmuseum.com