Philip William Foy was born on February 8, 1923, in Plainfield, Union County, New Jersey. He was married to Jessie Gray Foy. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and later earned a commission as a second lieutenant in 1944. After completing navigator training, he specialized as a pilot, advancing to the rank of first lieutenant. He flew B-17 bombers on 33 combat missions in the European Theater. He served in the 612th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Co-Pilot of B-17 #43-38733 ''I'll Be Seeing You'' during World War II.

On March 24, 1945, “I’ll Be Seeing You” participated in Operation Varsity, supporting Allied airborne forces during the crossing of the Rhine River into Germany. During the mission, the bomber encountered intense and highly accurate German anti-aircraft fire. Heavy flak severely damaged the aircraft, knocking out engines and inflicting critical structural damage while it was still over enemy territory. Despite the damage, the pilot managed to maintain control of the crippled bomber and turned back toward England. Struggling with reduced power and altitude, the crew worked to keep the aircraft airborne long enough to reach friendly soil. As they neared the English coast, it became evident that a standard landing would not be possible. The aircraft was forced to attempt an emergency landing near Halesworth, Suffolk, England. Although the pilot managed to bring the bomber down without it breaking apart completely, the combination of battle damage and impact proved catastrophic. Most of the crew were killed, with only a few surviving the crash. The aircraft was destroyed and later salvaged.

Foy survived the crash and was honorably discharged from active duty in 1945 following his World War II service. Afterward, he continued his military career in a reserve capacity, serving in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, where he remained for many years and ultimately retired in 1983 with the rank of major. He also spent 46 years as a technical staff member at Bell Labs in Murray Hill before retiring in 1984. He died on January 11, 2004, and is now buried in the Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains, Union County, New Jersey, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.b17flyingfortress.de