Name:
William Joseph Germiller
Rank:
Technical Sergeant
Serial Number:
32449064
Unit:
603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group
Date of Death:
2006-03-01
State:
New York
Cemetery:
Saint Peter's Cem., Poughkeepsie, New York
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:
TSgt William Joseph Germiller, mechanic of the B-17 42-107223, took off from station 131 Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire, UK on a ground support mission for Totalize in the Calvados region. They were hit four times by flak 3 minutes out from the target. With no.2 and 4 engines on fire the pilot dropped his bombs, fell out of formation, and ordered the crew to bail out at 13000 feet, staying at the controls long enough for them to do so. The airmen were shot at on the way down. Small arms fire killed Lt Arnold and Sgt Hochadel in midair. Germiller was immediately captured and sent to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross-Tychow.