1st Lt William H. Beeson joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army as a private at Kelly Field, Texas on 4 February 1941. He attended high school for 4 years and was an architect before he joined the army.
He was the navigator of B-17 "Blue Streak" on a mission to bomb Leuna synthetic oil refinery when he was Killed in Action.
The aircraft took a direct hit from flak just after bombs away. There was an explosion and the plane broke into many flaming pieces. No parachutes were seen. Sgt Bacon, a crew member of another plane, saw two men come out of the plane. He couldn't say whether they had jumped or been thrown clear. He saw no parachutes.
As this happened a crewmember of another plane took a photo of Blue Streak and this photo appeared in most of the London newspapers and one New York newspaper.
The entire crew was killed. They were initially buried on the cemeteries of Kreypau and Kriegsdorf.
https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-b/47039-beeson-william-h
Contributor: ET (47514618) •
He was the navigator of B-17 "Blue Streak" on a mission to bomb Leuna synthetic oil refinery when he was Killed in Action.
The aircraft took a direct hit from flak just after bombs away. There was an explosion and the plane broke into many flaming pieces. No parachutes were seen. Sgt Bacon, a crew member of another plane, saw two men come out of the plane. He couldn't say whether they had jumped or been thrown clear. He saw no parachutes.
As this happened a crewmember of another plane took a photo of Blue Streak and this photo appeared in most of the London newspapers and one New York newspaper.
The entire crew was killed. They were initially buried on the cemeteries of Kreypau and Kriegsdorf.
https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-b/47039-beeson-william-h
Contributor: ET (47514618) •
1st Lt William H. Beeson joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army as a private at Kelly Field, Texas on 4 February 1941. He attended high school for 4 years and was an architect before he joined the army.
He was the navigator of B-17 "Blue Streak" on a mission to bomb Leuna synthetic oil refinery when he was Killed in Action.
The aircraft took a direct hit from flak just after bombs away. There was an explosion and the plane broke into many flaming pieces. No parachutes were seen. Sgt Bacon, a crew member of another plane, saw two men come out of the plane. He couldn't say whether they had jumped or been thrown clear. He saw no parachutes.
As this happened a crewmember of another plane took a photo of Blue Streak and this photo appeared in most of the London newspapers and one New York newspaper.
The entire crew was killed. They were initially buried on the cemeteries of Kreypau and Kriegsdorf.
https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-b/47039-beeson-william-h
Contributor: ET (47514618) •
He was the navigator of B-17 "Blue Streak" on a mission to bomb Leuna synthetic oil refinery when he was Killed in Action.
The aircraft took a direct hit from flak just after bombs away. There was an explosion and the plane broke into many flaming pieces. No parachutes were seen. Sgt Bacon, a crew member of another plane, saw two men come out of the plane. He couldn't say whether they had jumped or been thrown clear. He saw no parachutes.
As this happened a crewmember of another plane took a photo of Blue Streak and this photo appeared in most of the London newspapers and one New York newspaper.
The entire crew was killed. They were initially buried on the cemeteries of Kreypau and Kriegsdorf.
https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemetery-margraten-b/47039-beeson-william-h
Contributor: ET (47514618) •
Inscription
1LT 834 BOMB SQ 486 BOMB GP TEXAS
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Texas.
Family Members
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