Harold Wayne McWilliams enlisted in the U.S. Army entering service at Camp Dodge Herrold, Iowa on 23 February 1943, Army Serial Number 37662942. He was then transferred into the Army Air Forces and received further training at Sheppard Field, Texas; Chanute Field, Illinois; Boeing Field, Seattle Washington, and combat crew training at Great Bend Army Air Field, Kansas; and Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico. Harold as a result of his training had graduated as a B-29 Flight Engineer, MOS 737, promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
Harold deployed to the Pacific in early 1945 being assigned to the 677th Bomb Squadron, 444th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, 21st Bomber Command, 20th Air Force, operating from West Field, Tinian, Marianas Islands.
On 25 May 1945 Sgt McWilliams was the Fight Engineer on the Major John Bratton DuBose, Jr. crew. They were flying B-29-25-MO Serial Number 42-65273 named "Big! Ain't It” on an incendiary bombing mission to Tokyo. The Airplane took off from West Field, Tinian at 0800Z on Combat Mission - No messages were received and it was never heard from again.
As of 3 April 2019 The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency still lists all 11 crew members as Missing In Action. Given there was no Japanese reported land crash of this aircraft it is likely it was damaged over the target or experienced mechanical difficulty causing it to ditch or crash at sea with no survivors.
Harold deployed to the Pacific in early 1945 being assigned to the 677th Bomb Squadron, 444th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, 21st Bomber Command, 20th Air Force, operating from West Field, Tinian, Marianas Islands.
On 25 May 1945 Sgt McWilliams was the Fight Engineer on the Major John Bratton DuBose, Jr. crew. They were flying B-29-25-MO Serial Number 42-65273 named "Big! Ain't It” on an incendiary bombing mission to Tokyo. The Airplane took off from West Field, Tinian at 0800Z on Combat Mission - No messages were received and it was never heard from again.
As of 3 April 2019 The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency still lists all 11 crew members as Missing In Action. Given there was no Japanese reported land crash of this aircraft it is likely it was damaged over the target or experienced mechanical difficulty causing it to ditch or crash at sea with no survivors.
Harold Wayne McWilliams enlisted in the U.S. Army entering service at Camp Dodge Herrold, Iowa on 23 February 1943, Army Serial Number 37662942. He was then transferred into the Army Air Forces and received further training at Sheppard Field, Texas; Chanute Field, Illinois; Boeing Field, Seattle Washington, and combat crew training at Great Bend Army Air Field, Kansas; and Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico. Harold as a result of his training had graduated as a B-29 Flight Engineer, MOS 737, promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
Harold deployed to the Pacific in early 1945 being assigned to the 677th Bomb Squadron, 444th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, 21st Bomber Command, 20th Air Force, operating from West Field, Tinian, Marianas Islands.
On 25 May 1945 Sgt McWilliams was the Fight Engineer on the Major John Bratton DuBose, Jr. crew. They were flying B-29-25-MO Serial Number 42-65273 named "Big! Ain't It” on an incendiary bombing mission to Tokyo. The Airplane took off from West Field, Tinian at 0800Z on Combat Mission - No messages were received and it was never heard from again.
As of 3 April 2019 The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency still lists all 11 crew members as Missing In Action. Given there was no Japanese reported land crash of this aircraft it is likely it was damaged over the target or experienced mechanical difficulty causing it to ditch or crash at sea with no survivors.
Harold deployed to the Pacific in early 1945 being assigned to the 677th Bomb Squadron, 444th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, 21st Bomber Command, 20th Air Force, operating from West Field, Tinian, Marianas Islands.
On 25 May 1945 Sgt McWilliams was the Fight Engineer on the Major John Bratton DuBose, Jr. crew. They were flying B-29-25-MO Serial Number 42-65273 named "Big! Ain't It” on an incendiary bombing mission to Tokyo. The Airplane took off from West Field, Tinian at 0800Z on Combat Mission - No messages were received and it was never heard from again.
As of 3 April 2019 The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency still lists all 11 crew members as Missing In Action. Given there was no Japanese reported land crash of this aircraft it is likely it was damaged over the target or experienced mechanical difficulty causing it to ditch or crash at sea with no survivors.
Inscription
MC WILLIAMS HAROLD W
SGT 444 BOMB GP(VH) IOWA
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Iowa.
