Parents, William R. C. Rodgers and Harriet B. Straman Rodgers
Awarded Air Medal, Purple Heart
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Son of Mrs. Harriet Rodgers who resided in Chicago, Illinois.
William served as a Second Lieutenant & Bombardier on B-24D #42-40752, 72nd Bomber Squadron, 5th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Cook County, Illinois prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Corps of Engineers on November 25, 1941, prior to the war, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a metallurgist and also as Single, without dependents.
B-24D #42-40752 took off, with a crew of 10 and other B-24's, from Torokina Airfield, Bougainville Province, Papua New Guinea on a strike mission over Green Island, Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia.
Over the target the B-24 formation was attacked by approximately 30 to 40 Japanese aircraft. B-24D #42-40752 was last seen going into a cloud cover with Japanese aircraft in pursuit. They were not seen nor heard from again. The entire crew was lost.
William was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war. (Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until January 27, 1946.)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24D #42-40752:
David, La Verne V ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, WI
Gove, Kenneth C ~ Sgt, Gunner, MA
Lane, Thomas F ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, MA
Maier, George F ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, PA
Rodgers, William J ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, IL
Sheen, Ernest J ~ Sgt, Gunner, UT
Sweet, Charles L, Jr ~ Sgt, Gunner, VA
Thomas, Joseph L ~ FO, Co-Pilot, OH
Tiffin, Oscar R ~ Sgt, Engineer, AL
Walton, Joshua B ~ Sgt, Gunner, PA
Bottom Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett
Parents, William R. C. Rodgers and Harriet B. Straman Rodgers
Awarded Air Medal, Purple Heart
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Son of Mrs. Harriet Rodgers who resided in Chicago, Illinois.
William served as a Second Lieutenant & Bombardier on B-24D #42-40752, 72nd Bomber Squadron, 5th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Cook County, Illinois prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Corps of Engineers on November 25, 1941, prior to the war, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a metallurgist and also as Single, without dependents.
B-24D #42-40752 took off, with a crew of 10 and other B-24's, from Torokina Airfield, Bougainville Province, Papua New Guinea on a strike mission over Green Island, Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia.
Over the target the B-24 formation was attacked by approximately 30 to 40 Japanese aircraft. B-24D #42-40752 was last seen going into a cloud cover with Japanese aircraft in pursuit. They were not seen nor heard from again. The entire crew was lost.
William was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war. (Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until January 27, 1946.)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24D #42-40752:
David, La Verne V ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, WI
Gove, Kenneth C ~ Sgt, Gunner, MA
Lane, Thomas F ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, MA
Maier, George F ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, PA
Rodgers, William J ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, IL
Sheen, Ernest J ~ Sgt, Gunner, UT
Sweet, Charles L, Jr ~ Sgt, Gunner, VA
Thomas, Joseph L ~ FO, Co-Pilot, OH
Tiffin, Oscar R ~ Sgt, Engineer, AL
Walton, Joshua B ~ Sgt, Gunner, PA
Bottom Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett
Inscription
RODGERS WILLIAM J - 2 LT - 72 BOMB SQ 5 BOMB GP (H) - ILLINOIS
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