William J. Smith, Navigator of the B-26 Marauder 42-96101 4TN which took off from Station 455 in Holmsley South, Hamshire, UK at 1700 on 9 August 1944 on a mission to bomb the bridge over the Oise River in Isle-Adam, France. The plane was struck by flak at approximately 1945, engulfing the right wing in flames. The crew evacuated the plane while the pilot, Captain Darrell R Lindsey, stayed with the plane and was killed when it exploded and crashed. He was the only B-26 pilot in the war to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Smith, together with his 3 crewmembers (T/Sgt Wylie, S/Sgt lawson, Sgt Fees) were taken as prisoners and brought to Stalag Luft 3 in Żagań, Lower Silesia, Poland.